• Ethiopia will use digital platforms to register voters and candidates for the 2026 elections
• NEBE has deployed online tools, mobile apps, call centers, and technical support teams
• The shift aims to improve transparency and access but faces connectivity and security limits

Ethiopia will introduce digital registration of voters and candidates for the first time during its seventh general elections, scheduled for June 1, 2026. The announcement was made on December 9, by Melatwork Hailu, president of the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), during a press briefing on election preparations.

According to the official, the digital registration platforms are now operational and training sessions for representatives of political parties have begun. Candidates will be able to register through a web interface or a mobile application, while voters may choose between online self-registration and assisted registration in centers equipped with tablets. To support the system, NEBE has also established a call center and deployed technical assistance teams to help users facing difficulties.

The digital shift is part of a broader plan to modernize electoral management in Ethiopia. NEBE says it aims to strengthen transparency, efficiency, and accessibility in a context of ongoing security challenges, logistical constraints, and heightened expectations around governance. The new tools are expected to secure data, improve administrative tracking of candidacies, and reduce the delays frequently experienced during registration.

In a country of more than 135 million people, where mobility is sometimes limited and access to administrative centers remains difficult in several regions, online registration could ease participation, especially in rural or remote areas. However, the modernization also has significant limitations, including weak connectivity across large rural zones, unequal access to digital tools, cybersecurity risks, and the need to train users on the new system.

Over time, if the system performs as intended, Ethiopia could strengthen the reliability and efficiency of its electoral administration and lay the groundwork for a gradual transformation of its democratic procedures.

Samira Njoya