Add Profile/Party/Event
    Add Profile/Party/Event

    Key dates for the 2027 General Election

    The IEBC has set the timetable for the general election on Tuesday 10 August 2027. This page puts the main dates for voters, parties and candidates in one place.

    Where these dates come from

    On 20 August 2026, the IEBC published Kenya Gazette Notice No. 13497. It marks the start of the election period for the 2027 election and brings the Electoral Code of Conduct and the Election Offences Act into force for it. The IEBC said the timelines are legally binding.

    We have compiled the dates below from reports of that notice. The legally binding text is the Gazette notice itself, so check it, and the IEBC's website, before you rely on a date. Where reports differ by a day, we say so.

    A note on the date. A High Court ruling in August 2026 questioned the constitutional date for the presidential election but did not change this timetable. See how Kenyan elections work.

    For voters

    When What
    Now Check your registration at https://verify.iebc.or.ke. Registration continues at IEBC offices, but there is a legal cut-off before the election, so ask the IEBC for the closing date. See how to register and vote.
    From June 2027 The IEBC registers candidates, so you can see who is on your ballot. Use My Ballot on Chagua.
    29 May to 7 August 2027 The official campaign period.
    Tuesday 10 August 2027 Polling day. 6 am to 5 pm.

    For political parties and aspirants

    Date What must happen
    15 October 2026 Parties give the IEBC the names and specimen signatures of their authorised persons.
    30 October 2026 The Registrar of Political Parties certifies party nomination rules.
    6 November 2026 Parties submit their certified nomination rules to the IEBC.
    9 December 2026 As reported, a person who takes part in a public fundraising or harambee within the eight months before the election (after this date) can be disqualified from contesting.
    10 February 2027 Public officers who want to contest must resign. (Some reports say 9 February. Check the notice.) Parties and candidates must also open election campaign financing accounts and give the IEBC the details.
    23 March 2027 Party membership lists certified by the Registrar.
    8 April 2027 Parties give the IEBC the names of aspirants in their primaries, and the dates and venues. The IEBC publishes them by 16 April.
    12 April 2027 Parties submit their certified membership lists to the IEBC.
    8 May 2027 Party primaries and party disputes must be finished, and parties give the IEBC their nominated candidates. Independent candidates must have left their parties and submit their names and symbols. (Some reports say 9 May.)
    24 May 2027 Presidential aspirants submit a list of at least 2,000 registered voters, drawn from a majority of counties.
    29 May 2027 The campaign period begins. Parties and candidates name the people who manage their campaign accounts.
    8 June 2027 Party candidates submit a preliminary report of their nomination spending (within 21 days of their party nomination, and no later than this date).
    12 June 2027 The last day for nomination disputes. A dispute must be lodged within 24 hours of the event, and the IEBC must decide by 23 June.
    27 July 2027 Parties and candidates give the IEBC the names of their chief election agents.
    7 August 2027 The campaign period ends, 48 hours before polling day.

    When the IEBC registers candidates

    Position Registration window (2027)
    President 29 May to 11 June
    Member of the National Assembly (MP) 29 May to 1 June
    Senator 29 May to 2 June
    County Assembly (ward) 2 June to 11 June
    Governor 3 June to 6 June
    County Woman Representative 7 June to 11 June

    Campaign money

    • Parties and candidates cannot accept contributions or donations in cash or in kind from the State, State institutions, agencies or other public resources.
    • Breaking the prescribed campaign-financing limits is an offence.
    • After polling day: reports on action taken about surplus campaign funds are due by 8 November 2027, and final expenditure reports by 22 November 2027.

    Campaign rules to know

    The IEBC has said campaign activity is allowed between 7 am and 6 pm during the campaign period, and has warned that campaigning outside the period, including posters, caravans and billboards, is unlawful. Read more in know your rights and spot false claims.

    Frequently asked questions

    Are these dates final? They are the dates the IEBC gazetted in August 2026. The Commission can publish changes, and courts can rule on disputes, so we check regularly and update this page.

    Why do some news reports show dates that are a day apart? Outlets summarised the notice and the earlier IEBC roadmap slightly differently. The Gazette notice is the authority. Where we know of a difference, we say so in the table.

    Who is on my ballot? Candidate lists are confirmed when the IEBC registers candidates in June 2027. Until then, Chagua lists aspirants, marked as such. Use My Ballot.

    Can candidates already campaign? The IEBC has said the official campaign period is 29 May to 7 August 2027, and has warned that campaigning outside it is unlawful.

    Sources

    Last reviewed: 21 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email [email protected].

    Powered by