NAIROBI, Kenya- The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has formally set out the key timelines for Kenya’s 2027 General Election, with political parties, aspirants and public officers facing a series of legally binding deadlines ahead of polling day.
The Commission has confirmed that the General Election will be held on Tuesday, August 10, 2027, when Kenyans will elect the President, Members of Parliament, governors, senators, county woman representatives and Members of County Assemblies.
IEBC said the timelines contained in its latest Gazette Notice are legally binding and must be followed by all election stakeholders.
The publication of the notice on August 20, 2026 formally commenced the election period and brought the Electoral Code of Conduct and Election Offences Act into effect for the 2027 polls.
Key deadlines for political parties
Political parties intending to participate in the election must submit the names of their authorised persons and specimen signatures to IEBC by October 15, 2026.
Their nomination rules must be certified by the Registrar of Political Parties by October 30, 2026, with the certified rules due for submission to IEBC by November 6, 2026.
Another major deadline falls on December 9, 2026, when restrictions relating to public fundraising and harambees come into effect under the electoral law. IEBC has warned that participation in prohibited public fundraising within the prescribed period could affect eligibility to contest.
Public officers must resign by February
Public officers seeking to contest elective positions in the 2027 General Election must resign from office by February 10, 2027.
IEBC said the deadline falls exactly six months before Election Day.
The political parties’ membership verification process will then become a major focus.
Political parties must have their membership lists certified by the Registrar of Political Parties by March 23, 2027, and submit the certified lists to IEBC by April 12, 2027.
By April 8, parties must submit to IEBC the names of people seeking to contest their party primaries, together with the dates and venues of the primaries.
IEBC will publish the details in the Kenya Gazette by April 16, 2027.
Party primaries
Political parties must complete their primaries and resolve all resulting intra-party disputes by May 8, 2027.
The same deadline applies to independent candidates who must not be members of a registered political party and must submit their names and proposed symbols to IEBC.
IEBC will publish the names and symbols of independent candidates in the Gazette on May 14, 2027.
Presidential aspirants will also have to meet an additional requirement by May 24, 2027.
They must submit to IEBC a list containing the names, signatures and national identification card or valid passport numbers of at least 2,000 registered voters in each of a majority of Kenya’s counties.
Campaigns begin May 29
The official campaign period will begin on May 29, 2027.
Candidate registration will also take place between May 29 and June 11, 2027, with the exact registration dates varying depending on the elective position.
Disputes arising from the nomination process must be lodged within the prescribed period, with June 12, 2027 set as the deadline for filing nomination disputes.
The nomination disputes are expected to be resolved by June 23, 2027.
Political parties and candidates will then be required to submit the names of their national and constituency chief election agents to IEBC by July 27, 2027.
The official campaign period will close on August 7, 2027, three days before Kenyans head to the polls.
Election Day
Kenyans will vote on Tuesday, August 10, 2027.
IEBC has urged political parties, candidates and other stakeholders to adhere strictly to the published electoral calendar, describing the timelines as legally binding requirements rather than guidelines.
The Commission is also continuing preparations for the voters’ register. As of August 20, 2026, IEBC said 2,936,516 new voters had been registered, with the Commission projecting a final register of about 28.5 million voters for the 2027 election.
Key 2027 election dates
| Date | IEBC deadline/event |
| Oct. 15, 2026 | Parties submit authorised persons and specimen signatures |
| Oct. 30, 2026 | Nomination rules certified by Registrar of Political Parties |
| Nov. 6, 2026 | Certified nomination rules submitted to IEBC |
| Dec. 9, 2026 | Public fundraising/harambee restriction deadline |
| Feb. 10, 2027 | Public officers seeking elective office resign |
| Mar. 23, 2027 | Party membership lists certified |
| Apr. 8, 2027 | Party primary candidates, dates and venues submitted |
| Apr. 12, 2027 | Certified party membership lists submitted to IEBC |
| Apr. 16, 2027 | IEBC Gazette publication of party primary details |
| May 8, 2027 | Party primaries and intra-party disputes concluded |
| May 14, 2027 | Independent candidates published in Gazette |
| May 24, 2027 | Presidential aspirants submit voter-support lists |
| May 29, 2027 | Campaigns and candidate registration begin |
| June 11, 2027 | Candidate registration concludes |
| June 12, 2027 | Deadline for nomination disputes |
| June 23, 2027 | Nomination disputes resolved |
| July 27, 2027 | Chief election agents submitted |
| Aug. 7, 2027 | Campaigns end |
| Aug. 10, 2027 | General Election |
Source: IEBC Gazette Notice No. 13497 and related 2027 election timelines.
