It is recalled that the 6th General Election was held on June 21st, 2021. The National Election Board of Ethiopia has set up a desk to entertain complaints from political parties and has received complaints through phone calls, SMS, and letters. It is also recalled that solutions were given to the problems that could be solved on that day.
The board has continued to go through and investigate complaints presented in different manners following the Election Day. Some of the complaints were supposed to be filed during the election process and presented at the level of polling stations and constituencies while others are considered by the Board.
The Board realized that the investigation has been difficult because the complaints are discontinued, lack information, or miss out relevant information that should have been included.
Although the National Election Board is still conducting investigations into the complaints filed, the Board urges all political parties who have complaints about the voting, vote counting, and results announcement processes to submit their summarized complaints, including the previously presented ones, within two days by meeting the following requirements.
Areas of complaint
Regarding the voting process
- Voters who met the criteria were not allowed to vote
- Voters who didn’t meet the criteria were allowed to vote
- Voters were forced to vote for a political party or a candidate
- Voters were barred from voting for the party or candidate they want
- Voters were under pressure from polling station workers
- The voting process is not being conducted maintaining its secrecy
- Voters are being deceived
- Polling station workers are receiving bribes
- The polling station has been taken over by illegals;
- Observers and candidates are not allowed to observe the voting process.
- Fake ballot papers are being used
- False information is being disseminated and so on.
Regarding counting and adding up of votes
- Ballot papers that are legally invalid and unused or damaged are being counted.
- Legal votes are being invalidated
- The fact that the counting and aggregation was done in a timely manner has called into question the reliability of the results.
- The ballot box is either torn, broken, or damaged.
- The number of ballot papers filled is more than the number of ballot papers received for the polling station.
- The counting of votes is taking place outside the space permitted by law.
- The counting is being done without adequate natural or manmade light.
- Observers, complaints committee members, or candidate agents were barred from attending the counting of votes and the like…
Regarding the announcement of results
- The results of the election have not yet been made public.
- The head of the polling station is not willing to give any confidence to the results of the individual candidates or political party agents.
- Election results are not being completed and signed properly and so on...
A complaint to the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) must be prepared in three copies and signed by the complainant or a representative concerning the content of the complaint, the voting process, and counting of votes by including the following points.
- Date of filing of complaint
- Complainant's full name, address, mobile number, e-mail
- In addition to explaining the reason, details should be included, especially about the election laws related to the voting process, counting, and the announcement of results should be considered. In addition, the place where the violation took place (polling station, constituency), the date, the time, and the person who committed the violation should also be included.
- The complainant must specifically indicate the solution being sought
- A list of evidences (text, video, photo), must contain a list of personal evidence, including the identity and address of the witnesses when the evidence is presented.
- If the matter has been considered by other bodies of election prior to submission to the Board and if decision has been made, the decisions made by the decision-making bodies, the evidence, and details of the case should be noted; and if decisions were not made, it should also be mentioned.
- The date and time are registered and signed on the copy of the complaint to the complainant who filed the complaint as described above.
- If there is a person who must respond to the complaint, the name and address of that person should be included in the complaint.
National Election Board of Ethiopia