Polling progressed peacefully but large turnout
caused some delays
15
May 2005
7 p.m.
Polling for Ethiopia’s third federal and regional
parliamentary elections proceeded peacefully throughout
the country, the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia
said this evening.
Deputy Head of the Board’s Secretariat, Tesfaye
Mengesha, said there had not been reports of any major
incidents disrupting the voting process in all 31,000
polling stations across the nation.
“Of course, from some polling stations we have
been receiving complaints about delays in the voting
process due to the large voter turnout, a shortage
of ballot papers and voter-marking ink, as well as
lack of space for observers,” Tesfaye said.
In polling stations where supplies of ballot papers
and indelible ink pens ran out, these materials were
provided from neighboring polling stations in the
same constituency.
Additional secret booths were set up in crowded polling
stations so that many people could vote at the same
time, Tesfaye said. This measure was aimed at increasing
the throughput in polling stations where voters were
experiencing lengthy delays.
Tesfaye acknowledged that at polling stations in Jimma
and Alemaya universities in the east and southern
part of the country, ballot papers for some constituencies
were not sent due to problems during the registration
of students. The Board has decided that the small
number of students affected by this problem would
be allowed to vote in the coming two days.
Meanwhile, the Board has again reassured voters that
while polls close at 6p.m., anyone queuing inside
and outside polling stations at that time will be
allowed to cast ballot their ballots. This will allow
voters who have patiently queued at crowded polling
stations to cast their ballots.
The NEBE expects a higher voter turn out in this year’s
elections than in previous ones.
For
further information please contact:
Press
Officer: Getahun Amogne Tel: 251-9-643738
Assistant
Press Officer: Hiwot Alemayehu Tel: 251-9-487576
E-mail
us: info@electionsethiopia.org
