People check for their names on the voter list in O’Russey IV commune of Phnom Penh’s Prampi Makara district on October17. Heng Chivoan
Prime Minister Hun Sen said he will update his voter registration documents ahead of next year’s national election, while also calling on those who had not registered and those who need to update their voter list information to do so as soon as possible.
“October 20 is the first day for electoral registration. I personally have to re-register my details, as my old ID card had a different date of birth – April 4, 1951 – to my current one, August 5, 1952,” he said.
The premier also called on people who have just become eligible to register.
“If you don’t register, you are giving up one of your most important duties as a citizen of a democratic nation. Missing out on the ability to exercise your right to vote would be a terrible thing,” he added.
“I call on every eligible citizen to make sure they can vote. The National Election Committee [NEC] has announced the dates of registration – and even the prime minister needs to come forward and update his details. If you don’t register, you will lose the right to vote,” he said.
NEC chairman Prach Chan said voter list checks and updates, and new registrations, will be carried out at commune halls and villages across the country from October 20 to December 8.
“All Cambodians who have yet to register, those who recently turned 18 and those who have relocated should register with their local commune,” he said.
Chan also called on people whose names were on the 2021 voter lists to check their details – wither at the commune hall or on voterlist.nec.gov.kh – to ensure that their details are correct.
“If changes need to be made, they should contact the electoral registration team to make the alterations,” he said.
In order to ensure the update and registration process runs smoothly, Chan asked that electoral officials and all members of the public strictly implement any necessary Covid-19 health measures.
The NEC general secretariat will hold an October 19 meeting, ahead of the start of the process.
The meeting will focus on voter list verification and registration in communes, computerisation of data, a complaints process, and the preliminary results of the invitations which have been sent to voters on the 2021 list.
