Ugandans will head to the polls on January 15, 2026 to elect a president, members of Parliament and local leaders.
The electoral process is governed by the Electoral Commission (EC) and structured in stages: voter preparation, balloting, tallying, and announcement of results.
Voter Preparation
Ugandans aged 18 and above by the end of voter registration are eligible, provided they appear on the official Voters’ Roll, which is compiled at each polling station’s parish or ward.
Around 21.68 million citizens—53 percent women—are registered for the 2026 Ugandan elections.
Uganda will use 50,739 polling stations across 71,214 villages, 353 constituencies, and 146 districts.
Between 15 December 2025 and 13 January 2026, the EC distributed Voter Location Slips (VLS) to help citizens locate their polling stations.
On Election Day, voters will present either their VLS, national ID, or appeared in the register.
Officials will verify identities using Biometric Voter Verification Kits (BVVKs) before issuing ballots.
Casting the Vote
Voting is entirely manual, and no electronic voting will be used.
Each voter will mark a paper ballot and place it in a sealed box.
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The EC has run awareness campaigns urging voters to mark ballots correctly to avoid invalid votes.
Counting the Votes
When polls close, presiding officers will count ballots at the polling station, record figures on the Declaration of Results (DR) form, and announce them on-site.
These forms will then be sent to district tally centers for collation and proclamation by returning officers.
From there, results will move to the national tally center, where totals will be compiled and displayed on large screens for transparency.
The EC has recruited district/city tally clerks who will be engaged from January 10 to February 10, 2026, to capture and verify station results in the results management software at tally centers.
Announcing and Validating Results
Uganda’s presidential race will follow a two-round system: if no candidate secures 50 percent plus one vote, a runoff will be held between the top two contenders.
Results will be announced sequentially, first at polling stations, then at district centers, and finally at the national tally center.
Party agents, observers, and civil society groups will monitor each stage to ensure credibility.
Identity verification through BVVK will help prevent double voting.
Security agencies will maintain order, while internet restrictions, common in past elections, may be debated under new regulatory frameworks.
Allegations of intimidation and bias are expected to remain a concern, underscoring the need for transparency to build public trust.
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Presidential election petitions are heard by the Supreme Court, which can order the production of tally materials.
Observers and Media
Observer accreditation is governed by Section 16(1) of the Electoral Commission Act.
The EC opened online accreditation for national and international observers and issued codes of conduct detailing permitted and prohibited activities at polling stations.
By January 13, 2026, the EC reported 1,655 accredited observers from domestic groups and international missions, including AU, EAC, EU, US, UK, who will monitor preparation, voting, counting, and post‑poll processes.
Uganda Elections Security, Connectivity, and Logistics
The EC has outlined safeguards against multiple voting through the mandatory use of BVVK and station‑level verification.
Ahead of polling, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) directed a temporary suspension of public internet access and selected mobile services starting 6 PM EAT on January 13, with exceptions for critical systems, including EC secure portals for voter verification and results tabulation.
The measure is intended to mitigate misinformation and security risks during the election period.
Polling for president and Parliament is set for 15 January 2026, with additional local government and Special Interest Group rounds scheduled through early February under the EC roadmap.
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