IEBC Releases 2027 Election Calendar, Sets Key Deadlines

Kenya’s electoral commission, IEBC, has finally put dates on the calendar for the 2027 General Election, and confirmed that voters will cast their ballots in the same 290 constituencies and 1,450 wards used since 2013.

The announcement came via a Kenya Gazette Special Issue released on Thursday, August 20, carrying seven separate notices signed off by IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon.

Election day itself is set for Tuesday, August 10, 2027. On that date, Kenyans will head to polling stations to pick their president, senators, MPs, county woman representatives, governors and MCAs.

By publishing the full list of constituencies and wards unchanged, the commission has essentially confirmed that the electoral map won’t be redrawn before the next vote, meaning it stays identical to what was used in 2013, 2017 and 2022.

IEBC has explained the decision as unavoidable, pointing to a shortage of time, ongoing court battles over census figures, and the sheer weight of other election preparations already underway.

The Constitution is fairly specific on this point. Article 89 requires constituency boundaries to be reviewed every eight to 12 years, with the process wrapped up at least a year ahead of any General Election. The Supreme Court weighed in on the resulting legal grey area through an advisory opinion issued in September 2025.

For its part, the commission has long argued that a full review simply couldn’t be squeezed into the time remaining. Chairperson Ethekon has said such an exercise typically takes at least two years, which would have meant starting the process early enough to finish by August 10, 2026, a deadline that’s already come and gone.

With the main election date locked in, a string of deadlines now falls into place for political parties and aspiring candidates.

Parties have until October 15, 2026 to submit the names of their authorised representatives to IEBC. Their internal nomination rules need certification by October 30, then formal submission to the commission by November 6.

Membership lists come next, the Registrar of Political Parties must certify these by March 23, 2027, with submission to IEBC following on April 12.

Parties are required to publish the names of their primary candidates, along with primary dates and venues, by April 8, and IEBC will gazette the contestants shortly after, on April 16.

May 8 is a big date on the calendar, it marks the deadline for parties to wrap up their primaries and settle any internal disputes, and it’s also the cutoff for independent candidates to break from political parties and file their names and symbols.

Public servants eyeing elective office have until February 10, 2027 to resign. Presidential hopefuls, meanwhile, must gather signatures from at least 2,000 registered voters spread across a majority of counties, with a submission deadline of May 24.

IEBC’s nomination window runs from May 29 through June 11, though the exact cutoff shifts depending on the seat.

Presidential nominations close last, on June 11; National Assembly nominations wrap up June 1; Senate nominations, June 2. Governors will be nominated between June 3 and 6, MCAs between June 2 and 11, and county woman representatives between June 7 and 11.

Any disputes arising from nominations must be lodged within 24 hours, with resolutions expected within 10 days.

Campaigns can kick off as early as May 29, again, depending on the race, and must end by August 7, three days before voter’s head to the polls. Campaign hours are capped between 7am and 6pm.

Notably, political fundraising by candidates, including the popular harambee drives, will be banned starting December 9, 2026. Parties must also file their party lists by June 25, 2027, and name their chief election agents by July 27.

Read Also: IEBC Announces 2027 General Election Date, Orders Civil Servants Seeking Seats To Resign