Voter education · 16 January & 6 February 2027
Make your vote count.
A valid vote is one clear thumbprint, inside one box, on a ballot you fold the right way. Here is the whole journey, what can void a vote, and what to do if someone tries to buy yours.
Always follow the presiding officer and INEC's latest notices on the day. This guide is based on INEC's manual for election officials and published fact-checks (sources below). It is not an official INEC document.
Check your name on the preliminary register
Before you can vote, your name has to be on INEC's register. INEC has published the preliminary register for the 2027 elections so voters can check their details and report mistakes. The final register is due to be certified and published on 15 December 2026.
Check it on INEC's own portal
- Go to display.inecnigeria.org. This is INEC's official site; Binchika is not part of it.
- Create an account and sign in, as the portal asks.
- Choose your state → local government area → ward → polling unit, or type your polling-unit code if you know it.
- Jump to the first letter of your surname and look for your entry: your name, your photo and your details.
As reported when the portal opened on 26 October 2026. INEC limits how much each account can view, so if it asks you to try later, do. Some people outside Nigeria see a "Service Restricted" page. Sources: INEC's statement of 26 October 2026 as reported by ThisDay and Legit.ng; portal steps from Tribune.
Found a mistake?
- Wrong or missing details, a wrong photo, or someone listed who has died: report it to INEC through the claims-and-objections process, at your INEC local government (registration area) office or through INEC's official channels.
- The physical display for claims and objections ran from 9 to 15 October 2026 under Section 19 of the Electoral Act 2026. INEC says it is still processing claims and objections before the final register.
- Going to the INEC office? Take your voter card (PVC) or registration slip so officials can find your record. Ask for the claim or objection to be recorded, and keep a note of the date and office.
- Follow INEC's own notices for any change to the process: inecnigeria.org and INEC's official X account, @inecnigeria.
- Check again after 15 December 2026, when the final register is published.
Binchika does not take, process or forward claims or objections; only INEC does. Please send them to INEC, not to us.
Any register figures shown on Binchika are aggregates published by INEC or reported by the press, each labelled with its source. As of 28 October 2026, the preliminary register figures can still change before the final register on 15 December 2026, as INEC processes claims, objections and clean-up. The only authoritative place to check an individual entry is INEC's own portal, display.inecnigeria.org. National and zone totals, with their sources, are on the register totals page.
Seven steps to a valid vote
- 1Find your polling unit
Check it before election day using INEC's polling-unit locator. You can only vote where you are registered.
- 2Bring your voter card (PVC)
Join the queue early. Officials check your card against the register.
- 3Get accredited
The BVAS machine verifies you by fingerprint or face. Any finger can be used for the fingerprint.
- 4Receive your ballot
The presiding officer gives you a ballot paper for each election that day.
- 5Thumbprint inside ONE box
In the voting cubicle, ink your thumb and press it clearly inside the box of the one party you choose.
- 6Fold, then drop it in
Fold the ballot so the ink cannot stain another box, as the officials show you, and put it in the right box for that election.
- 7Stay calm, watch the count
You may wait peacefully at a distance to watch the count. When the result sheet (Form EC8A) is posted, photograph it and send it to Binchika.
Valid or void?
What can void a vote
An ink stain inside the voting compartment is not treated as an identifying mark. Officials sometimes reject ballots where a small part of the print strays outside the box, so keep it fully inside one box to be safe. The courts have held that a missing official stamp or signature on the back does not by itself invalidate results. Sources: Dubawa (citing INEC's 2022 manual), ICIR, Africa Check, TheCable.
Do's and don'ts on election day
Do
- Check your polling unit and bring your PVC.
- Arrive early and queue patiently.
- Keep your thumbprint fully inside one box.
- Fold your ballot so the ink cannot spread to another box.
- Watch the count peacefully, from a distance.
- Photograph the posted result sheet (Form EC8A), not people.
- Report problems to INEC officials and security agents on duty.
Don't
- Don't sell your vote, or accept money, food or gifts to vote a certain way.
- Don't take photos or video inside the voting cubicle, or of anyone's marked ballot, including your own.
- Don't wear party colours or campaign at the polling unit.
- Don't argue with officials or take part in any disturbance.
- Don't share unverified "results" on social media. Only INEC declares results.
Your vote is not for sale
A sold vote is four years sold.
Buying or selling votes is an offence under Nigeria's Electoral Act, for the buyer and the seller. The money lasts a day; the people you elect hold office for four years.
Seen vote-buying? Report it safely
- Safety first. Never confront anyone. Film only from a safe distance and outside the voting cubicle.
- Report it to INEC officials or the police on duty.
- Send video evidence to @getbinchika on X, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, YouTube or Reddit. Binchika will pass credible evidence to the relevant authorities.
- Never film anyone's marked ballot, and blur faces of bystanders if you post publicly.