The Election
- Annika Graber
- Jan 26, 2022
- 1 min read
Written 26 January 2022
The local elections took place on Sunday. The elections were to elect the mayor of Dakar and the mayor of each neighborhood. To ensure everyone has the chance to vote, the elections always take place on Sundays. The borders also close between regions to avoid fraud. The week leading up to the elections candidates paraded around the Sicaps blaring their campaign streets from trucks.
Sunday morning was calm, but Sunday night around 9pm we heard party in the streets. The new mayor of Sicap-Karak gave a speech that we watched from the roof.
The results
The political party of the president was defeated in all elections. There has historically been a lack of confidence in the political system, but these results reinforce its validity. In recent years, voter participation has increased especially among the young as citizens feel the impact of their participation. Voting instructions are written as cartoons to encourage even those who don't read French to participate. After voting, citizens dip their pink in ink as a mark.
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