Human Rights Consortium Praises Ethiopia’s Digital Voting Reform as Electoral Participation Surges

Addis Ababa, May 24, 2026 —Consortium of Ethiopian Human Rights Organizations (CEHRO) has praised the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) for introducing digital voter registration.

The Consortium described it as a significant step forward in improving transparency and expanding electoral participation ahead of Ethiopia’s 7th general election, which is scheduled to take place at the beginning of next week.

Speak to ENA, CEHRO Executive Director Mesud Gebeyehu said the adoption of digital systems has contributed to a notable increase in voter registration compared to previous election cycles.

He noted that the national electoral roll has now surpassed 50 million registered voters, up from approximately 36 million in earlier elections.

 

This reflects both rising civic engagement and strengthened institutional outreach, he pointed out.

Mesud described the current electoral process as historic, highlighting that it is the first time Ethiopia has implemented digital technology for both voter and candidate registration.

 He linked this development to the government’s broader Digital 2030 agenda and NEBE’s ongoing efforts to modernize electoral administration, reduce procedural inefficiencies, and minimize human interference.

“This is part of the effort to digitalize the system, enhance transparency, and reduce manual handling in electoral processes,” Mesud said.

He further noted that newly registered voters are being assigned automated identification numbers intended for use in future electoral cycles, calling it a foundational step toward a more integrated and efficient electoral registry.

He also suggested that such digital infrastructure could, in the long term, support the possibility of remote or online voting, allowing citizens to participate from different locations.

According to NEBE, more than five million voters have already been registered using the new digital system.

The Board has also confirmed that over 50.5 million voters are currently registered for the upcoming election, scheduled for June 1, 2026.

 

In addition, NEBE reports that 47 political parties have nominated a total of 10,934 candidates.

 Election observation efforts are also expanding, with 55 local observer groups deploying more than 60,000 observers and agents. Around 170 civil society organizations are actively engaged in voter education, awareness campaigns, and election-related training.

While commending the progress, CEHRO executive director also emphasized the importance of strengthening public awareness and digital literacy to address risks of misinformation and disinformation during the electoral period.

The organization said it continues to train election monitors to help safeguard the integrity of the process and support informed voter participation.

The upcoming election is being closely watched as a key test of Ethiopia’s efforts to modernize its electoral system while expanding democratic participation through digital transformation.