EC begins voter education campaign

Kathmandu, June 8

The Election Commission has launched voter education campaign in 41 districts across Provinces 1, 2, 5 and 7 with a special focus on educating voters to cast their votes in a right way.

The second phase of local level elections is being held on June 28. The election body has also demanded progress report from voter education volunteers who are participating in the door-to-door voter education campaign.

The Election Commission will put the ballot paper on display at polling centres, where people will come to collect their voter identity cards, for three days.

The election body expects that this would bring down the number of invalid votes.

As per the Election Commission’s preliminary estimate, some two to three per cent of total ballots cast in the first election were invalid.

Big size of the ballot paper, similar election symbols and lack of adequate voter education, among others, are assumed to have contributed to high number of invalid votes.

Joint-Secretary of Election Commision Nabaraj Dhakal said musical events and dramas would be staged to impart voter education. Furthermore, voters would be educated about voting and information related to elections would be disseminated in local languages, added Dhakal.

The commission has tied up with the United Nation system and would mobilise volunteers from community organisations as well as Non Governmental Organizations for voter education.

There are altogether 9,097,557 voters registered for the second phase of local level elections.

The Election Commission will mobilise voter education volunteers in a total of 11,833 polling centres.

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