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Board Threatens to Close Polling Sites as Alleged Coercion in Voters' Registration Recurring

Apr 2 , 2026

The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) issued a stern warning to regional states today, April 2, 2026, threatening to close polling stations in areas where citizens are allegedly being coerced into registering for voter cards.

The electoral body’s move follows reports of aggressive tactics used to inflate registration numbers, a practice the Board says undermines the voluntary nature of democratic participation. Accounts of local officials pressuring residents to obtain voter cards under duress has become common in the run up to national polls in June this year. In some instances, regional and city administrations have reportedly conducted house-to-house campaigns that allegedly frame voter registration as a mandatory legal obligation.

The Board condemned more severe reports of intimidation, including threats of salary deductions used to compel compliance from civil servants.

"Such treating of voter registration as an obligation must stop," said the Board in a statement.

​The statement also sought to clarify the legal boundaries for organisations involved in the electoral process. Civil society organisations are "strictly limited" to providing voter education, while the Board reminded their leaders that active campaigning is a right reserved for political parties.

The Board has urged regional and city administrations to immediately halt all house-to-house efforts that portray registration as compulsory.

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