Over 9 Million Voters Register Within First Week for Ethiopia’s 7th General Election

Addis Ababa, March 13, 2026 (ENA)—More than nine million citizens have registered to vote within the first week of voter registration for Ethiopia’s 7th General Election, according to the National Election Board of Ethiopia.

Speaking to the media, the board’s chairperson, Melatework Hailu, said the registration process has been progressing steadily across the country since it officially began on March 7, 2026.

The nationwide voter registration marks a key milestone in Ethiopia’s electoral calendar ahead of the upcoming general election.

The registration process is expected to continue for one month and is being conducted using both digital and manual systems.

According to the board, a total of 47 political parties have registered 10,934 candidates to compete in the election. Of these, 2,198 candidates will contest seats in the House of People's Representatives, while 8,736 candidates are running for positions in various regional councils.

In addition, 73 independent candidates have registered to participate in the race, including 69 men and four women.

Melatework noted that voter registration is currently being carried out at 46,750 polling stations across the country.

 She added that the distribution of election materials has largely been completed to ensure the smooth conduct of the registration process.

The chairperson also said that the next stage of the electoral process will include a lottery to determine the ballot positions of candidates.

Meanwhile, the National Election Board of Ethiopia has released the first 30 percent of the budget allocated to political parties participating in the election.

The funds have already been transferred to 36 registered parties.

As Ethiopia prepares for its seventh general election, the country stands at an important political moment reflecting the ongoing evolution of its democratic process.