NLD candidate files complaint over early voting controversy in Thandwe

By Myo Myint Zaw 02 Nov 2020

Myo Myint Zaw | DMG
2 November 2020, Thandwe

A National League for Democracy (NLD) candidate lodged a complaint with the Union Election Commission (UEC) over arrangements for revoting after ballots for incorrect constituencies were mistakenly marked during advance voting in Kyaukkyi village-tract, Thandwe Township.

The inappropriately marked ballot papers were found to be printed for Mrauk-U, Kyauktaw, Kyaukphyu and Manaung townships, after 391 advance votes were cast on October 29 in the Kyaukkyi village-tract portion of Thandwe Township, which is part of the Upper House’s Constituency No. 11. That was according to the township election subcommission, which held a meeting with members of the township election negotiation committee on October 31 and decided to cancel the 391 advance votes cast on invalid ballots.

But NLD candidate U Soe Win aka U Soe Lay, who is contesting Constituency No. 11, has filed an objection letter with the UEC, and the district election subcommission is waiting for a UEC decision, said U Moe Kyaw, an officer from the district election subcommission.

“We are waiting for the UEC’s decision as the NLD’s Upper House candidate U Soe Lay objected to the plan to hold an early vote again,” the election official told DMG.

The township election subcommission convened a meeting to discuss the issue of ballot papers but only members of the township election negotiation committee were invited. At the meeting, it was decided to nullify the inapplicable ballots and hold a second round of early voting. U Soe Win opposed the township election subcommission’s decision and submitted the matter to the NLD’s central executive committee for consideration, he told DMG.

“I objected to the plan to hold the second round of voting. According to the township election subcommission’s decision, it is like voting twice. The electoral law does not allow voting twice,” the NLD’s Upper House candidate said.

The advance ballots should be counted on November 8, and the votes for the NLD Upper House candidate should be tallied in U Soe Win’s column regardless of the name appearing alongside the party, he argues.

Early voting for people above 60 years of age is being held across Myanmar from October 29 to November 5. In Thandwe District, the number of eligible advance votes for the elderly is 18,327 in Thandwe Township, 318 in Taungup Township and 10,472 in Gwa Township, according to the district election subcommission.