The National Election Committee (NEC) announced the successful printing of over 13 million ballot papers. The ballots are set to be dispatched to provinces throughout the country on July 18, a strategic move scheduled five days ahead of the July 23 general election.

NEC spokesman Hang Puthea affirmed that the printing process adhered to the NEC’s election calendar. Initial ballots were distributed to regions distant from the capital, while recent prints are intended for Phnom Penh and neighbouring provinces.

“NEC officials were dispatched to supervise the printing of all 13 million ballot papers,” he said.

“These will be stored at capital-provincial election commissions on July 18 before being further distributed to commune electoral commissions for the election”.

Having completed printing days prior, the NEC is now focusing on the logistics of transporting the ballots. Puthea assured that while minor technical issues arose during the printing process, they were quickly rectified.

Sam Kuntheamy, president of the NGO Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (NICFEC), emphasised the importance of thorough preparations. Ensuring supplies such as election ink, ballot boxes, voter lists and related materials were in order was crucial for a seamless electoral process.

Kuntheamy also highlighted the importance of guaranteeing secure transport of the ballot papers, pointing to the need for contingencies that consider weather conditions such as torrential rain or strong winds, particularly in rural areas.

NEC disclosed that the printing of the over 13 million ballot papers exceeded $2 million in cost. However, the overall budget for the entire general election process is projected to be more than $50 million.