Ethiopia Election Watchdog Cites Missing IDs, Unauthorised Access at Poll Sites

Mintesinot Niggusie

The Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organisations for Elections has reported irregularities in voter registration ahead of the country’s upcoming general election, citing failures in identification requirements, unauthorised access to registration centres, and cases of intimidation in parts of the process.

The coalition said its observers identified instances where individuals were registered as voters without presenting legally required identification documents. Out of 3,953 registration centres monitored, 494 were found to have registered voters without proper documentation, according to findings released by the organisation.

It also reported that some voter registration centres were established in locations considered inappropriate under electoral guidelines. In addition, observers documented the presence of unauthorised individuals, including local administrative officials, security personnel and political party coordinators, at 424 monitored sites.

The group further said it observed cases of intimidation, threats and harassment at certain sites, including incidents involving armed individuals affecting registrants, officials and observers. Despite the reported issues, coalition director-general Abera Hailemariam said the process overall did not show major systemic disruption.

The findings were drawn from observations of the voter registration exercise conducted between March 21 and April 22, 2026. The coalition deployed 522 observers nationwide, excluding the Tigray region and other disputed areas.