The electoral commission has released key dates for Kenya’s 2027 General Election. The timetable sets deadlines for political parties, candidates, public officers and campaigns.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has released the timetable for Kenya’s 2027 General Election.
The commission has set Tuesday, August 10, 2027, as the polling date.
Kenyans will vote for the President, Senators, Members of the National Assembly, Governors, County Woman Representatives and Members of County Assemblies.
The IEBC formally gazetted the election period on August 20.
The move puts several election rules and deadlines into effect.
Key deadlines for political parties
Political parties will face the first major deadlines in the coming months.
First, parties must submit the names of their authorized persons and specimen signatures by October 15, 2026.
Next, the Registrar of Political Parties must certify their nomination rules by October 30.The parties must then submit the certified rules to the IEBC by November 6, 2026.
Public officers who want to run for elective positions must leave office by February 10, 2027.
Meanwhile, political parties must submit their membership lists and primary-election details by March 16, 2027.
The parties must complete their primaries and settle internal nomination disputes by May 8, 2027.
Candidate registration starts in May
The IEBC will register candidates between May 29 and June 11, 2027.
However, each position has its own registration dates. Presidential candidates will register between May 29 and June 11.
National Assembly candidates will register between May 29 and June 1. Senate candidates will register between May 29 and June 2.
Governors will register between June 3 and June 6. MCA candidates will register between June 2 and June 11.
County Woman Representative candidates will register between June 7 and June 11.
In addition, presidential candidates must submit the names and signatures of at least 2,000 registered voters.
Those voters must come from a majority of Kenya’s counties. Candidates must meet this requirement by May 24, 2027.
Campaigns will end before election day
The official campaign period will also have a fixed deadline.
Campaigns will end on August 7, 2027. That will be three days before Kenyans vote.
The IEBC has warned political actors against campaigning outside the set period.
The commission says the rules are legally binding.
IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon said the timelines will help keep the electoral process orderly.
“These are not mere guidelines, but legally binding requirements essential to the orderly and credible conduct of the electoral process.”
The commission can impose sanctions when political actors breach the Electoral Code of Conduct.
IEBC targets 28.5 million voters
The commission is also working to expand the voter register.
As of August 20, 2026, 2,936,516 Kenyans had registered as voters since the Continuous Voter Registration exercise began.
The IEBC expects the register to reach about 28.5 million voters before the 2027 election.
For comparison, about 22.1 million voters were registered for the 2022 General Election.
The commission also plans to expand voter registration for Kenyans living abroad.
The Programme will grow from 12 to 26 countries.
Furthermore, the IEBC plans to conduct an independent forensic audit of the voter register before the election.
Election preparations are underway
The IEBC says it has started buying materials needed for the election.
The commission is also working to fill vacant positions.
However, the procurement of election technology and ballot papers has faced a review process before the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board.
Despite this, the IEBC says procurement of other election materials remains on course.
The commission has also submitted proposed changes to election laws and regulations to Parliament.
The IEBC timetable comes as a court case continues over the constitutional timing of the next presidential election.
The commission has maintained August 10, 2027, as the election date.
However, it has also acknowledged the recent High Court judgment on the issue. The matter remains subject to the relevant court and constitutional processes.
For now, the IEBC continues to prepare for an August 10, 2027 General Election.
The commission has urged eligible Kenyans to register and check their voter details. It has also called on political parties and their supporters to follow electoral laws.
As the election approaches, parties and candidates now have a clear set of deadlines to meet.
The next major deadline comes in October 2026, when political parties must begin submitting information required by the IEBC.
