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Voter registration to begin tomorrow |
| Addis Ababa, December 27, 2007 (WIC) - Registration of voters for the upcoming elections would start tomorrow, according to the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia.
Board Chairperson Dr Merga Beqana told WIC that the registration would be carried out from 28th December 2007 to 26th January 2008.
He said polling stations have already been identified and documents sent to each station to help them register voters effectively.
According to Dr Merga, three rounds of training were given to heads of polling stations assigned to each woreda on the revised election code, rules and regulations, and execution of the woreda, kebele elections and by-election. Similar training was given to kebele and woreda election executives, he added.
Public observers were also recruited in line with the provisions of the law, the chairperson said, adding that the number of polling stations has increased so as to entertain up to 1,000 voters in each polling station.
Accordingly,42,000 polling stations have been opened, exceeding the number of stations in the 2005 elections by 10,000, he indicated.
Dr Merga said 14,000 candidates are running for woreda, 11 million for kebele, 36 for House of Peoples Representatives and 72 for states councils.
The board is working to make the election peaceful, free and fair, he said, noting that it has been properly handling the questions and complaints of political parties and is ready to respond to complaints that would be raised in the course of the election.
Members and candidates of political parties should consciously strive for same goal, Dr Merga said and called on the public to contribute their share by voting. |
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