Glossary of Nigeria Election Terms/Acronyms

Accreditation
The process of verifying the eligibility of a prospective voter before voting commences.

Ballot box
A transparent box in which voters drop their ballots

Ballot paper
A paper on which a voter thumb prints his/her choice of candidate at an election

Check-list
An inventory of items required for voting in an election

By-Election
An election to replace a member of the Legislature occasioned by death, resignation or recall.

Election
The act of choosing one candidate out of many through secret ballot

Clusters
A number of Polling Units located in an area for easy management

Constituency
A geographical area represented by an elected person

Collation
Tabulation or summation of votes cast at an election

Collation Center
A designed place where election results are summed up for each candidate.

Collation Officer (CO)
An Election Official who receives election results for tabulation and summation

Election Official
An Officer of the Commission, or designated by the Commission and charged with the conduct and supervision of an election.

Election Officer (EO)
A staff of the Commission who heads the Commission's office at the Local Government Area or Area Council level

Election Operation Support Center (EOSC)
This is a support center that serves as an early warning system in Election Day process. The center maintains contact with all Election Officials, monitors timelines compliance and identifies adverse incidence in order to provides necessary support.

Assistant Presiding Officer (APO)
An Official who assists the Presiding Officer in a Polling Unit on election day and is in charge of a voting Unit/Voting Point assigned to him/her

General Elections
Elections conducted in the Federation at large for Federal and State Elective positions.

Local Government Area
The third tier of government in the Federation.

Party Agent
A representative of a political party at a Collation Center.

Poll
The process of Voting at an election

Polling Agent
Any person appointed by a political party to represent it at a polling Unit to observe the conduct of elections

Polling Unit
A designated Location where registered voters cast their votes on election day.