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Voter Registration Hits Record Ahead of June Election

More than 50.5 million citizens signed up to vote, but funding shortages and Tigray Regional State's absence remain concerns

Apr 24 , 2026

More than 50.5 million citizens have registered to vote in the national elections scheduled for June, marking a 32.1pc increase from the previous polls and setting a new record for voter turnout at the registration stage.

The voter registration process, which began on March 7, 2026, closed two days ago. Officials from the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) said the exercise was carried out through a mix of digital and manual systems, spanning over 46,000 polling stations nationwide.

According to figures released by the Board, women account for 45.78pc of registered voters. The announcement was made in a statement issued on April 23, 2026, during a briefing at the Skylight Hotel on African Avenue. According to Board Chairperson Melatework Hailu, the current tally does not include voters registered at special polling stations, such as those set up in refugee camps, defense force compounds, and universities.

Despite the scale of the registration, election officials signalled financial strain. The Board has been allocated a budget of 10 billion Br for the electoral process, which its officials claim falls short of what is required to fully support operations. Melatework called for additional funding to ensure the election proceeds smoothly.

The registration process was not conducted in the Tigray Regional State. Board officials attributed this to a breakdown in relations between the federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the political party that controls the regional state.

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