Already registered to vote but moved to a new area? Your registration does not move with you. To vote at a different polling station in the 2027 General Election, you must apply to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for a transfer.
The process requires an in-person visit. Checking your details online can show where you are registered, but it does not transfer your vote.
How to transfer your voter registration
- Check your current details. Use the IEBC voter verification portal to confirm your registered polling station. You will need your ID or passport number and year of birth.
- Visit the IEBC constituency office where you want to vote. Bring the original Kenyan national ID or Kenyan passport used for your voter registration.
- Request a transfer. The Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations provide for an application using Form C, submitted to the registration officer for the constituency where you wish to be registered. Tell the officer which electoral area or polling station you want, and follow the identification steps they require.
- Verify the change afterwards. Check the IEBC portal again and make sure it shows the intended location. If it still shows your old polling station, follow up with IEBC rather than assuming the transfer has taken effect.
Can you transfer to any constituency?
A transfer between constituencies is subject to a residence requirement. Regulation 13C says a voter must have been ordinarily resident in the destination constituency for the six months immediately before applying. Moving there recently may therefore affect when you qualify to transfer.
The regulations also cover a change of polling station. If you want a different station within your existing constituency, explain that to the registration officer so your request is handled as the correct type of change.
When is the deadline for 2027?
Do not leave a transfer until election week. Section 7 of the Elections Act requires a voter seeking to transfer to another electoral area to notify IEBC at least 90 days before an election. Check IEBC’s current notices for the applicable registration window and any earlier administrative deadline before making the trip.
Can you transfer online?
The IEBC portal lets you check your voter details; it does not offer an online transfer application. A transfer is made through the registration officer for the area where you want to vote.
The practical test is simple: before the election, verify that IEBC’s record shows the polling location you intend to use. If you have moved but never applied for a transfer, check your existing registration instead of assuming you can vote near your new home.
