THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has maintained that a ballot paper remains valid if a voter uses a mark other than a cross, provided the mark clearly shows the candidate they intended to vote for. ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Brown Kasaro says the practice of accepting ballot papers with marks other than a cross is not new, stating that it dates back to 2006. The clarification comes amid debate among political players and other stakeholders following the ECZ’s announcement on Saturday that a ballot paper would not automatically be rejected simply because a voter did not use a cross. NRPUP presidential candidate Brian Mundubile and historian Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa argued that the law prescribes a cross as the valid...