A report from the National Election Committee (NEC) shows that from the opening of voter registration until November 9, there were 303,691 new registered voters. This number indicates that more than 100,000 people who have become eligible to register have not yet registered.

NEC deputy secretary-general Som Sorida said those who had not registered had 29 days remaining to do so.

He noted that registration had been open for 21 days, so it appeared that things were on track to ensure that all eligible Cambodians could exercise their democratic right.

The NEC’s voter registration teams had changed their strategy, and were expected to register the majority of the remaining voters, he added.

“Currently, the NEC’s voter registration team is moving through the villages and communes of the Kingdom, and this has netted more than 20,000 new registrations per day. If this number remains constant, registrations will be completed as planned,” he said.

Funcinpec spokesman Nhoeun Raden said there appeared to be no irregularities in name checks and registrations. A number of political parties – including his – and civil society organisations have deployed agents to monitor the registration and verification of names. He added that the party had observed that the NEC is fulfilling its role properly and transparently.

“I have not seen any problems at all in the registration process. We have also observed a willing desire to register and participate in Cambodian democracy by majority of the general public,” he said.

According to a November 9 NEC press release, the provisional results of the voter registration showed 303,691 newly registered voters, with 141,299 removals and 83,653 voters who have relocated to different communes.