Commune councillors wait to cast their ballots during the 4th capital-provincial and district-town council election, held on May 26. NEC
Nearly all of the more than 10,00 registered voters who were eligible to cast a ballot went to the polls to elect the more than 500 members of the capital-provincial councils and over 3,000 district-town councils representatives on May 26, according to the National Election Committee (NEC).
“According to preliminary figures received by the NEC, of the 11,622 registered voters, 11,598 of them – equivalent to 99.79 per cent – went to the polls,” said a May 26 NEC press release.
“Election day went smoothly in an atmosphere of calm, security, safety and good order.
“Even though in some districts of the provinces had cloudy weather, it did not disturb or obstruct the opening of polling stations or the voting,” it said.
The fourth mandate councils were elected by 10,000 voters, each of them members of commune councils.
The NEC said the voters went to the 209 polling stations across the country with happiness and confidence, adding that each of the political parties contesting the election kept quiet to ensure that the elections went smoothly. There were no reports of voter intimidation, threats or bribery.
The NEC added that electoral security forces were deployed to ensure security, safety and public order.
“The general atmosphere around the election was good, which made the election process smooth, non-violent and non-threatening. There were no actions that obstructed the election process, which we consider to be free, fair, successful, productive and a source of pride,” said NEC head Prach Chan, during a meeting with stakeholders after the polls closed on May 26.
He explained that five parties contested the election, including the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) standing in the 25 capital/provinces and 209 district constituencies with more than 8,600 candidates.
The Khmer Will Party (KWP) ran in 23 capital and provincial constituencies and 192 district constituencies with more than 7,900 candidates.
He added that the Nation Power Party (NPP) stood in 22 capital and province constituencies, and 81 district constituencies with 4,001 candidates, with FUNCINPEC registering more than 5,300 candidates in 18 capital and provincial constituencies and 121 district constituencies.
The Khmer National United Party (KNUP) ran more than 3,200 candidates in 17 capital and provincial constituencies and 64 district constituencies, he continued.
The NEC recognised more than 1,500 observers from 12 domestic associations and non-governmental organisations, eight international observers from the Students Association and the Cambodia-China Youth Relations Association, as well as three special guests, each of them a professor from a university in Japan.
There are 559 capital and provincial council seats across the Kingdom.
The seven provinces with the most seats are Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kandal, Phnom Penh, Prey Veng, Siem Reap and Takeo, each with 27 seats. The provinces with the fewest are Mondulkiri, Kep and Pailin, with 15 seats each.
The total number of district council seats nationwide is 3,641.
The initial preliminary results announced by the NEC show that in Phnom Penh, the CPP secured 813 votes, KWP obtained 80 votes and NPP earned one vote, while the other parties failed to collect a single vote.
Preliminary results show that in Kandal, CPP received the most votes at 761, followed by KWP with 121 votes. In Prey Veng, CPP also received the most votes, with 737 votes, followed by KWP with 140 votes.
