Tue Sep 24 10:11:37 UTC 2024: ## Sri Lankan Presidential Election Deemed Peaceful, But Voters Need More Preferential Voting Education
**Colombo, Sri Lanka** – The Commonwealth Observer Group has declared the 2024 Sri Lankan presidential election, held on September 21, to be peaceful and credible. The group, led by former President of Seychelles Danny Faure, commended the Election Commission for implementing key reforms such as campaign finance legislation and accessibility features for visually impaired voters.
While praising the overall conduct of the election, the Observer Group noted that some voters and polling staff appeared unfamiliar with the preferential voting system. The system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, with a maximum of three preferences allowed on the ballot. The Group recommended that greater efforts be made throughout the electoral cycle to educate voters on this system.
The Observer Group observed that polling stations opened on time and that voting proceeded peacefully. They also commended the polling officials for their professionalism and dedication.
“The pre-poll and opening procedures were meticulously followed at the stations observed,” said Faure. “Voting proceeded in a peaceful and orderly atmosphere. We observed that some polling stations had separate queues for men and women. Most polling stations were divided into two or more streams, which aided queue management.”
The Observer Group highlighted the high voter turnout and expressed hope that the peaceful atmosphere will continue during the post-election period. A final report with comprehensive analysis and recommendations for improving future electoral processes will be released at a later date.
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