The Ethiopian National Election Board NEBE is advancing its election modernization by introducing a digital registration system for both voters and candidates. During a meeting with political parties on 20th 2018 E.C., NEBE discussed three amended draft guidelines covering election procedures, government support for political parties and candidates, and the use and allocation of media. Chairperson Melatwork Hailu emphasized that the updates, prompted by amendments to Proclamation No. 1162/2011, aim to improve efficiency and legal compliance in the electoral process.
Legal experts Gedion Sisay and Ayitenew Debebe briefed participating political parties on the amended guidelines, after which parties submitted comments and questions. The experts and Chairperson Melatwork addressed these inputs, confirming that lawful suggestions would be incorporated into the updated directives.
A key highlight of the meeting was the Board's focus on digital registration for candidates. Chairperson Melatwork noted that while candidate registration has not yet begun, the system developed by NEBE will enable party representatives to manage registration digitally. This move is intended to streamline the registration process, reduce manual errors, and enhance transparency. Preliminary data from political parties is being collected in preparation for candidate registration, and the submission deadline has been extended to accommodate additional inputs.
