Ethiopia to set up 40,448 polling stations for upcoming election

Ethiopia’s election board has announced that 40,448 polling stations will be established for the country’s upcoming national vote, a reduction of roughly 9,000 compared with the 2021 elections, despite the inclusion of constituencies in Tigray this time, The Reporter reported.

The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) said the directory of polling stations includes areas facing persistent security challenges, such as western Oromia and parts of Amhara. More than 4,200 polling stations in Harari, Sidama, and the newly formed Central Ethiopia region will pilot electronic voting. Oromia will host the largest number of polling stations, with nearly 13,400, followed by Amhara with about 11,400, Somali with 4,085, and Tigray with 2,130. Central Ethiopia, Ethiopia’s newest regional state, will have just 63 polling stations.

The directory also includes polling sites in contested territories currently administered by Tigray, including Wolkait and Humera, despite ongoing disputes with Amhara authorities and reports of Eritrean control in Irob. NEBE Chairperson Melatework Hailu told The Reporter security concerns are not expected to derail the electoral process, although the Board noted that plans may be revised following future security assessments.

The announcement comes just two weeks after opposition parties raised concerns over the election process. In a joint statement, Ethiopian opposition parties said the country’s seventh national election cannot be considered inclusive, fair, or credible under the current candidate registration framework.

The parties accused NEBE of introducing opaque and politically motivated procedures that undermine democratic participation. Central to their criticism is a new digital candidate registration system, which they said was rolled out without adequate consultation or testing. They warned that the system’s reliability is questionable in a country with limited technological access and infrastructure.

Opposition groups also criticised what they described as unrealistic documentation requirements, including mandatory birth certificates, house plans, and strict online verification deadlines. They argued these measures disproportionately disadvantage candidates from rural areas and marginalised communities.

Further allegations include the unequal application of electoral rules, with opposition parties claiming the ruling Prosperity Party was allowed to register additional candidates in newly divided regions without notifying rivals. They also warned that a system feature permitting candidates to withdraw independently could expose opposition members to coercion, potentially eliminating their participation before election day.

Calling for “genuine negotiations” with the government, the opposition demanded reforms to ensure a level playing field, alongside measures to restore peace, facilitate the return of displaced citizens, and protect voting rights. The statement follows earlier appeals in November 2025, when opposition coalitions insisted on preconditions such as equitable media access, freedom of assembly, and candidate security. Separately, the Joint Council of Ethiopian Political Parties has urged reforms to strengthen NEBE’s independence, revise restrictive electoral laws, and guarantee transparency in voter registration and ballot counting.

The polling station announcement also coincides with renewed clashes in northern Ethiopia, where rising tensions have once again escalated into open conflict. Emerging reports point to growing fears of a large-scale confrontation and the possible collapse of the cessation of hostilities agreement.

Although a statement released on Saturday by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) signaled willingness to engage in African Union–led mediation, concerns remain high that the situation could spiral out of control. The timing of the election announcement has therefore intensified anxieties, as it overlaps with mounting fears of renewed widespread violence and political instability.