15 election terms you should be familiar with

In preparation for the highly-anticipated 2023 general elections, we've put together a list of terms you should be familiar with.

1. Accreditation: Accreditation is the process by which qualified voters are identified on election day.
2. Ballot Papers: Ballot papers list all of the parties of the candidates contesting the election and voters can thumbprint on their preferred parties.
3. Ballot Box: After voting, voters drop their ballot papers in ballot boxes for collation by electoral officials.
4. BVAS: The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is an electronic device that reads and authenticates voters' Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
5. Election monitors: Election monitors are independent parties who observe the electoral process for fairness and transparency.
6. IReV: This is the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) where Nigerian and international media can track election results online.
7. Re-run election: A re-run or supplementary election is held after the first one was inconclusive, rigged, or violated the rules.
8. Run-off election: This is an election held if the first round of voting fails to produce a clear winner. This could come into play if the presidential candidate with the most votes does not receive the required percentage of votes in all 36 states. A run-off election only involves the top two candidates from the first round of voting.
9. Inconclusive election: An election is inconclusive when the total number of registered voters in polling units where results are cancelled can affect the final margin of victory. A re-run or supplementary election is held in the units where the votes are cancelled to produce a clear winner.
10. PVC: A Permanent Voters Card (PVC) contains the details of a valid voter and is the most important item for a voter on election day that confirms a voter's eligibility to vote. No one can vote in Nigeria without a PVC.
11. Polling unit: The polling unit is the public location where voting takes place.
12. Rejected or voided vote: This is an incorrect ballot. It's the ballot where the voter's choice is unclear on the ballot paper. This can happen when a voter doesn’t thumbprint at all, thumbprints more than one party, or thumbprints outside the boundaries provided on the ballot paper.
13. Returning officer: This is the INEC official who announces the election results.
14. Voter register: This is a register of the total number of people eligible to vote in an election.
15. Voter turnout: This refers to the number of voters who cast ballots on election day.