Press Release
Date: 24th December 2024
The National Electoral Commission (NEC), in its commitment to ensuring that elections are held on time, shared three different options with the Three National Political Parties and the Government in May 2025 on how to conduct the voter registration, along with technical reports prepared by international companies on the system and data for the national voter registration.
The National Electoral Commission, in upholding the transparency of its work for the nation, submitted three types of registration methods to the Three National Political Parties, to solicit national input; these three methods are ones the National Electoral Commission had previously presented to the country in the years 2016, 2021, and 2023.
The Three National Political Parties and the Government held meetings for a period of seven months, from June to December 2025, in order to reach a unified consensus. During this period, the National Electoral Commission held various separate meetings with the Three National Political Parties and the Government to mediate and reach a unified national consensus.
After this lengthy period, the Three National Political Parties individually submitted their opinions to the National Electoral Commission, which contained differing views.
The National Electoral Commission, in strict accordance with Articles 17, 46, and 47 of the General Elections and Voter Registration Act, Law No. 91/2023, hereby issues the following provisions.
Decision of the National Electoral Commission (NEC)
The National Electoral Commission, after deliberating and considering the proposals and opinions of the Three National Political Parties regarding the registration system and the timely conduct of elections, and considering Article 47, Section 4 of the General Elections and Voter Registration Act, Law No. 91/2023, which states: “For the revision of the voter register before any election, the Commission shall determine the system and manner of the revision,”
The National Electoral Commission has today, on the 24th of December 2025, decided that the registration system shall be as follows:
- To use the existing voter registration data, by conducting a registration update.
- The registration update shall consist, in accordance with the law, of:
· Registering all citizens who have reached voting age or who have not previously registered.
· Reissuing cards for all persons who have lost their voter cards.
· Changing polling stations for all persons wishing to change their polling station. - The registration update shall be conducted from 500 centers across the districts and regions of the country.
- To perform a cleanup of the existing registration data, following the technical recommendations provided by the experts who independently audited the registration data.
- The cleanup and registration process shall be transparent, with the participation of the Three National Political Parties.
- Finally, the National Electoral Commission shall conduct a simulation exercise across the country by the end of January 2026, and simultaneously release the work schedule for the commencement of registration and the conduct of the elections in accordance with the laws of the country.
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