The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) emerged as the leading party with 310,855 votes. The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) followed with 254,648 votes, and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) secured 174,836 votes. However, a notable aspect of this election was the number of spoilt votes, which amounted to 8,605 (one percent). This figure highlights the importance of voter education and the need for clear instructions on how to cast a valid vote. In 2019, 778,343 people voted with 6,185 (0.79 percent) of those spoilt. Spoilt votes can significantly impact the overall results and the representation of the people's will. As Botswana moves forward, addressing the issue of spoilt votes will be crucial in ensuring that every citizen's voice is accurately represented in future elections.
According to University of Botswana (UB) public policy analyst, Adam Mfundisi, it is scandalous for a country that is highly regarded as a model democracy and a working electoral regime to suffer from this phenomenon of spoilt ballot. “There has been a growing trend of many voters wasting their time and energy in queueing and then spoiling their votes. Every person's vote must count in electoral democracy for a government to be truly deemed to have legitimacy. It's plausible that this ignorance could lead to voters casting their ballots for unintended candidates," Mfundisi said. “There are many consequences for illiterate and semi-illiterate voters in exercising their democratic rights to vote for a government of their choice. Knowledge is power and it defeats fear. In effect, some candidates won or lost due to a high rate of spoilt votes undermining the quality of our democracy. Spoilt votes distort the electoral outcome." He further said all stakeholders, including government, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), political parties, and civil society, must engage in civic and political education.
