Low Turnout Among Youth and Disabled Voters Concerns Civic Education Officials in Gambia

By Makutu Manneh

Senior officials at the National Council for Civic Education have raised concerns about low participation among young people and persons with disabilities in the country’s ongoing supplementary voter registration exercise, warning that the trend could undermine broader civic inclusion ahead of national elections.

In an interview with QTV Gambia, the council’s chairman, Momodou A. Sise, said that while overall turnout has met expectations, two key groups—first-time voters and persons with disabilities—have been notably underrepresented.

“These are their civic rights; the votes are their future,” Mr. Sise said. “We will continue to educate the citizenry because that is our mandate and responsibility.”

The council’s chief civic education officer, Yusupha Bojang, echoed those concerns, citing field reports from registration centers across the country. In many cases, he said, officials recorded only one or two persons with disabilities registering per day, and in some centers, none at all over five days, even in communities where such individuals reside.

Mr. Bojang attributed the low turnout in part to limited access to information and the persistence of social stigma. He emphasized that participation in the electoral process is a fundamental right for all citizens, including those with disabilities.

“The participation of young people is very crucial, and for us, we always emphasized that voter registration is the starting point for you to be able to exercise your fundamental rights as a citizen,” he stated.

The Independent Electoral Commission is conducting the 44-day supplementary registration exercise to update the national voters’ roll ahead of the upcoming elections. The process, which began earlier this year, is scheduled to conclude on May 21, 2026, and is intended to capture newly eligible voters, particularly those who have recently turned 18.

Civic education officials say they plan to intensify outreach efforts in the remaining weeks, with a focus on encouraging greater participation among underrepresented groups.