ADDIS ABABA, March 7 (HornDiplomat) — Ethiopia’s National Election Board has begun nationwide voter registration ahead of the country’s 7th General Election scheduled for June 1, 2026.
The board said registration started on March 28 and will continue for one month, using both digital and manual systems to allow citizens to enroll.
Chairperson Melatwork Hailu said the election authority had completed all logistical and administrative preparations required to launch the registration process.
According to the board, 47 political parties have registered 10,934 candidates to contest the election.
Of those, 2,198 candidates are running for seats in the House of People’s Representatives, while 8,736 candidates are competing for positions in regional councils.
In addition, 73 independent candidates have registered, including 69 men and four women, state media reported.
Voters can register through the “Mirchaye” (My Election) mobile application or at polling stations, where election officials have been provided with tablets to support the registration process.
Election officials said digital registration will be prioritized in areas with internet coverage of 3G or higher, in coordination with Ethio Telecom.
The National Election Board said it has also released the official symbols of participating political parties and confirmed that all parties have signed a Candidates’ Code of Ethics and Conduct aimed at ensuring responsible campaigning and electoral integrity.
