Research Survey: What do Potential Voters in DR Congo Think about the Current Electoral Process? 

Roger-Claude Liwanga 

Summary  

Voters in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are expected in October 2023 to participate in presidential and legislative elections before the end of December 2023, according to the country’s Constitution. Yet, 15 months before these deadlines, the electoral process is running a long way behind. The voter registration which was scheduled for a 20-month period and supposed to begin in October 2021, according to the Roadmap (“Feuille de Route”) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) of February 2022, has not yet started. Other constraints listed in the CENI Roadmap, which are technical, political, legislative, financial, security, health-related, and logistical issues, are almost unresolved. Within the Congolese political class, mistrust is growing day after day among the various major players in the electoral process. As to the DRC’s external partners, some of them want elections to be held in 2023, even if those votes only meet the minimal conditions of good elections. 

 This research poll is designed as a rapid survey to determine the position of potential voters in the DRC during the pre-election process. A total of 504 respondents (of which 26% are women) participated in this poll from July 22 to August 2, 2022, representing in total about 1 out of 94,246 potential voters for the 2023 elections. The poll findings reveal the following: 

• • • Only 20% of potential voters in the DRC are either very satisfied or satisfied with the current electoral process. 51% of potential voters are either very dissatisfied or dissatisfied, and 29% are neutral (neither satisfied nor dissatisfied). 
    • Despite the dissatisfaction of most of the respondents with the electoral process, 47% of potential voters either strongly agreed or agreed that the elections should definitely be held in 2023 (even if those votes would only meet the minimal conditions for good elections). 41% of respondents either strongly disagreed or disagreed, and 12% are neutral. 
    • Regardless of the majority’s wish to have the elections in 2023, 51% of potential voters are either very uncertain or uncertain that the CENI will complete the voter registration before October 2023. 28% of respondents were neutral, and 21% were either very certain or certain. 
    • About 54% of potential voters reported that they were either very uncertain or uncertain that elections will be held in 2023. Only 29% were very certain or certain about the holding of elections in 2023, and 17% were neutral. 
    • If it is impossible to hold elections in 2023, 81% of potential voters would prefer that the CENI openly inform the people by the end of 2022 about the vote postponement instead of waiting until the last minute to do so. 
    • In the event of an election delay, 29% of potential voters preferred a 12-month delay, 28% wanted a 6-month delay, 25% opted for a delay of less than one month, and 11% leaned towards a 24-month postponement. Due to the challenges in organizing elections, 74% of potential voters either strongly agreed or agreed that the DRC political class could begin holding, now and in good faith, some inclusive discussions on the electoral process.