Addis ababa: The Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations for Elections (CECOE) reported that Ethiopia's 7th General Election saw high voter turnout and was largely peaceful, with election officials conducting the process diligently across polling stations.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, CECOE Board Chairperson Sahleselassie Abebe briefed the media, highlighting the active participation of political parties, journalists, and the media, with no major flaws observed. The coalition commended Ethiopian citizens for registering and casting their votes, acknowledging their patience throughout Election Day.
The CECOE's preliminary observation report revealed that the coalition deployed 2,506 sitting and 867 mobile observers from 101 member organizations. They monitored 7,723 polling stations, representing 15 percent of the 51,026 polling stations established by the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), using a proportional methodology based on the number of polling stations in each region.
The coalition's findings were based on five voting-day processes monitored at the polling stations: setup and opening, voting, closing, ballot counting, and posting of results. The CECOE reported that most polling stations adhered to election rules regarding setup and voting procedures.
Among the coalition's observations was that 99 percent of monitored stations were legally established, with observers granted access at nearly all stations, except for three where entry was denied. Voting and counting generally proceeded uninterrupted, with reports of violence, intimidation, or harassment being minimal.
Political party representatives were present at 65 percent of the monitored polling stations, and results were publicly displayed at 97 percent of the stations. The CECOE noted some areas needing attention, such as polling stations established in 11 prohibited locations, campaigning or symbols within 200 meters of nine stations, and observer entry denial at 11 stations.
The report also mentioned repeated unauthorized assistance by individuals other than the polling station head at 22 stations, temporary security disruptions at 19 polling stations, and the presence of unauthorized individuals at four polling stations.
The Board Chairperson urged competing parties and the Ethiopian public to patiently await the election results, accept the outcomes announced by the National Election Board of Ethiopia, and submit any grievances through the existing legal framework. A comprehensive observation report with full details will be released soon.