By Makutu Manneh
Women significantly outnumbered men in the 2026 supplementary voter registration exercise conducted by the Independent Electoral Commission, with a margin of 18,933 registrants, according to provisional figures released by the commission.
The data was disclosed by IEC Chairman Joseph Colley during a stakeholder engagement session held on Thursday, June 4, 2026.
According to the commission, a total of 212,095 voters were provisionally registered between April 8 and May 21, 2026. Of this number, 115,514 were women, while 96,581 were men.
“The following provisional field data was provided as of 21 May 2026; registered voters from 8 April to 21 May 2026 total 212,095. Of those, 115,514 were female, and 96,581 were male,” Colley stated.
The figures indicate that women accounted for 54.5 percent of new registrants, compared to 45.5 percent for men. However, the IEC noted that the data remains provisional and will be finalized following the publication of the provisional voter register and the completion of adjudication processes by the revising courts.
Despite women constituting more than half of The Gambia’s population, their representation in political and decision-making spaces remains limited. As of 2026, women occupy approximately 8.6 percent of seats in the National Assembly, between 13 and 14 percent of cabinet positions, and around 15 percent of local council seats.
Analysts have consistently attributed the disparity to entrenched socio-cultural norms, limited access to campaign financing, and the absence of legislated gender quotas.
Chairman Colley reaffirmed the IEC’s commitment to ensuring credible and inclusive electoral processes, pledging continued efforts to deliver elections that are free, fair, transparent, and accessible to all eligible voters.
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