Mapping and Evaluation of Polling Units for Optimum Election Process in Damaturu Metropolis, Yobe State Nigeria

This study focuses on mapping and evaluation of polling units in Damaturu metropolis, Yobe State by using Geographic Information System. Polling units serves as important structures of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria. They are created with the sole aim to serve as points for the registration of voters and voting during election. To accomplish this research, the image of the area was captured and digitized and the existing polling units in the area were indicated using their coordinates captured by GPS observation. Nearest Neighbor tool was used to evaluate the pattern of distribution of polling units and the result shows that the distribution was random. The result of the service area analysis was used to show the proximity of polling units to voters based on trekking distance. The result revealed that 35 polling units will be needed in the study area based on cutoff trekking distance of 200m, 400m, and 600m. It was therefore recommended that the technology adopted in this research be used to cover the entire Yobe state for optimum election process. It is also recommended that population of voters per polling units should be used as criteria for suggesting the creation of new polling units in the area