NEBE Inaugurates First of Its Kind Voter and Candidate Registration System

The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) inaugurated a groundbreaking voter and candidate registration system. In her opening speech at the inauguration, NEBE Chairperson Melatwork Hailu stated that the Board has been engaged in various activities to implement “Innovation and Technology,” among the six pillars of the five-year strategic plan. She emphasized that the January 5, 2026, inauguration marks the launch of an inclusive voter and candidate registration system. Melatwork highlighted the necessity for full engagement from the Board's experts and noted that numerous discussions and debates were made to address the system's feasibility, user-friendliness, and security. This process sometimes required starting over on aspects of the system that had already been finalized.

It was primarily noted that the system developed by the Board safeguards voters and candidates to exercise their Democratic rights to vote and be selected without influence, while also reducing the need for travel to polling stations. Additionally, allowing voters and candidates to enter their own verified information minimizes or eliminates errors that occasionally occur during the registration process. It also ensures an efficient registration workflow and organized data management for the Board. During the system development process, experts from the Board, political parties, civil society organizations, the media and Associations for persons with disabilities participated by providing recommendations; Melatwork extends her gratitude to all.

Detailed explanations, supported by video demonstrations, were provided by Board experts regarding the “Mirchaye” voter registration system as well as the “Candidate Registration System” which are available in six languages. In the briefing regarding the system, invited guests were informed that the system allows voters and candidates to register themselves at a time and place convenient for them.

The Board announced that it is offering various registration options for voters as follows:

In selected polling stations:

• Mobile-based self-Registration: Voter registration using the Board’s “Mirchaye” mobile application via Fayda (National ID) data.
• Web-based Self-Registration: Voter Registration by accessing a link via computer, laptop or smartphone using Fayda data.
• Assisted Voter Registration: Voter Registration conducted by election officers using the Board’s tablets at polling stations.

In the remaining polling stations:

• Manual Voter Registration: Voter registration conducted by election officers using physical registries at polling stations, according to the previous procedure.

while explicitly stressing that the 2026 system based seventh general election will not incorporate e-voting.

During the inauguration ceremony, His Excellency Tewodros Mihret, President of the Federal Supreme Court, along with the Heads of the Standing Committee on Democracy Affairs, Heads of Independent Democratic Institutions, political parties, civil society organizations, media representatives, and various stakeholders of NEBE were in attendance.