Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has set November 3 to 14, 2026, as the nomination period for candidates seeking to contest. The Gambia’s presidential election is scheduled for December 5.
IEC Chairman Joseph Colley announced the dates on Wednesday during the Commission’s September stakeholders forum, as preparations intensify for the country’s presidential vote.
The nomination period will run for 12 days, with aspiring candidates and their agents expected to submit their nomination papers and prescribed fees to the IEC within the designated period.
The Commission will begin issuing nomination forms to aspiring presidential candidates on September 21.
Campaign Period Begins November 16
The IEC has also set November 16 to December 3 as the official campaign period for the presidential election.
This gives political parties and presidential candidates 18 days to campaign and engage voters across the country before the December 5 poll.
The campaign period will begin two days after the close of nominations and end two days before voting day.
The dates are expected to mark the formal start of an intense phase of the 2026 presidential race, with parties and candidates expected to step up nationwide mobilization, policy messaging, and voter engagement.
IEC Prepares for December Poll
Chairman Colley said the Commission was working to ensure that the elections are peaceful, inclusive, transparent, and credible.
He said the revising courts were currently hearing objections to the voters’ register and expressed hope that the process would be completed within the 60-day period provided by law, paving the way for the finalisation of the voters’ list.
The IEC is also conducting capacity-building programs for electoral officials and other stakeholders. A training program scheduled for September 21 to 26 will focus on electoral operations and results management, with participants including political parties, civil society organizations, the media, the police, and organizations representing persons with disabilities.
The Commission has also begun the accreditation process for election observers and media organizations. Applications for accreditation must be submitted by November 20, 2026.
With nominations less than two months away and the campaign period already fixed, parties and prospective candidates now have a clear timetable for the final stages of their preparations ahead of the December 5 presidential election.
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