Over 4,000 Civil Society Observers Deployed Ahead of Ethiopia’s 7th General Election

Addis Ababa, May 31, 2026 (FMC) — The Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations for Elections has completed preparations and deployed 4,097 short-term observers nationwide ahead of Ethiopia’s seventh general election scheduled for June 1.

In a statement sent to Fana Media Corporation, the Coalition said the deployment, drawn from 101 member organizations, forms part of domestic election observation efforts aimed at strengthening transparency and monitoring of the electoral process as millions of Ethiopians prepare to cast their ballots.

According to the Coalition, the observers are stationed across all regions and are operating through both stationary and mobile formats to monitor pre-election, election-day, and post-election activities.

The observer group includes 2,746 men and 1,351 women, with 197 persons with disabilities also participating, reflecting efforts to ensure inclusive representation in the observation process.

The Coalition said the observers have undergone extensive training to ensure they carry out their duties independently, impartially, and in line with national electoral laws and established observation principles.

To support its field operations, the organization has established a central data center staffed by 80 trained data collectors. The system is designed to facilitate the collection, verification, and analysis of reports submitted from across the country through a modern reporting mechanism.

The Coalition noted that this platform will serve as the main channel for consolidating observation data throughout election day.

It further indicated that it will release a midday update on election day, followed by a preliminary statement assessing the conduct of the voting process.

Ethiopia’s 7th general election will be held tomorrow, June 1, with more than 54 million registered voters expected to take part. The election is also being observed by regional and continental missions, including the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), reflecting broad African-led engagement in the electoral process.