2,198 and 8,736 candidates registered for Parliament, regional council seats, respectively
The registration of voters for the seventh national election scheduled for June 1, 2026 is underway. Officials of the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) have set a one-month window for registration, with the deadline falling on April 7.
Voters follow political candidates, who finalized their registration last month. A total of 10,934 candidates have submitted their credentials. Of these, nearly 2,200 will be in the running for a seat in the House of Peoples’ Representatives while the remaining will contend for seats on regional councils across city and regional administrations.
The number of candidates this time around is significantly higher than the 8,209 candidates registered for the sixth national election held in 2021.
From The Reporter Magazine
Nearly 75 percent of candidates are men. The pool is composed of candidates from 47 political parties (including two coalitions and one front) and no less than 73 independents, four of which are women. The 2021 vote also saw the participation of 47 parties, though there were 125 independent candidates.
The candidate registration period was initially intended to last one month. However, following formal requests from various political parties, the NEBE extended the deadline by 15 days, concluding the process on February 24.
During a press briefing held on Friday, NEBE Chairperson Melatwork Hailu detailed the progress of pre-election activities undertaken so far and outlined the Board’s next steps.
From The Reporter Magazine
Melatwork confirmed that registration remained active until the final day of the extension and said the Board is working to put up displays listing the names and affiliations of political candidates at polling stations across Ethiopia to ensure transparency and allow for public oversight.
The Chairperson highlighted that the Board is currently facing various challenges in its effort to begin voter registration.
Although originally planned to start earlier in February, the schedule was adjusted, and voter registration is now set to take place from March 7 to April 7, 2026. With only 87 days remaining until the general election, the Board is operating under a tight timeframe to ensure all necessary materials are in place.
One of the primary concerns raised during the briefing was the logistical difficulty of transporting election materials to certain regions of Ethiopia. The Chairperson reported that while the Board has successfully moved supplies to regional hubs, some regional administrations have been uncooperative in providing the necessary transport to reach local districts.
Furthermore, ongoing security concerns in specific areas have created barriers for the safe delivery of equipment. These security issues remain a top priority for the NEBE as it seeks to ensure that every eligible citizen has the opportunity to register, according to Melatwork.
She disclosed the Board has tentatively categorized polling stations as green, yellow, or red based on the level of perceived security risk. Election officials and opposition party leaders are expected to convene again to discuss the categorization in the near future.
Despite protests from opposition parties to the contrary, Melatwork stated again the Board’s stance that conditions across the country are conducive for conducting the vote.
She declined to comment on recent controversy surrounding a decision from the House of Federation and constituencies in areas disputed by the Tigray and Amhara regional states.
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