Facts and Figures on the 15 May 2005 Federal and Regional Elections

11 May 2005

In preparation for the 15 May 2005 elections, the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia has distributed the following materials to polling stations:

• 28.6 million ballot papers (There are 25.6 million registered voters)
• 124,000 indelible ink pens to mark voters’ thumbs to prevent multiple voting
   (four markers per polling station)
• 2,815 pens
• 11,260 NEBE voter information posters

There will be 155,000 polling station staff working at 31,000 polling stations. There will also be 1,689 constituency electoral officers.

A total of 319 international observers have been accredited to date. Of these, 150 are from the European Union Election Observation Mission and 50 are from the Carter Center. There are also observers from the African Union, the Arab League, India, Japan, China, Turkey and Russia.

Domestic observers from Ethiopian church organisations will also be fielded to observe the election and counting process. Currently, 186 domestic observers from the Orthodox Church, 267 from the Evangelical Church have been accredited, and the board expects more church group members to be accredited as observers in the coming days.

In addition to using vehicles for the distribution of ballot papers and other materials, the NEBE is using boats in the Gambella region. Pack animals and camels will also be used in the Simien Mountains in the Amhara region.

For further information please contact:

Press Officer: Getahun Amogne Tel: 251-9-643738
Assistant Press Officer: Hiwot Alemayehu Tel: 251-9-487576