Explained: AU Commission voting process as Raila submits his application

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga has officially submitted his application for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship.

Odinga, who is to compete with three other leaders from the continent, is currently the only candidate to have completed the application process.

To be elected as the AUC chairperson, Odinga must secure at least two-thirds of the votes from African Union members through a secret ballot process.

So far, he has gotten over ten endorsements from different Heads of State among them Uganda and Algeria.

If the ballot remains inconclusive, Rule 42 of the African Union's Assembly and Executive Council procedures mandates that the next vote will be restricted to the two candidates who received the highest number of votes in the initial round.

If neither candidate secures the required majority after three additional ballots, the candidate with fewer votes must withdraw, and the one with the highest vote will proceed. 

Should this candidate still fail to obtain two-thirds of the votes, the outgoing chairperson will suspend the election, and the deputy chairperson will assume the chairmanship on an interim basis until new elections are held.

The elections are scheduled for February 2025.