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Addis Ababa, May 27, 2026 — The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has formally declared that all required arrangements have been finalized for the nation’s seventh general election, set to occur on June 1, 2026.

At a media briefing, NEBE Chairperson Melatwork Hailu stated that the board has effectively carried out its operational strategies and has officially moved into the last stage of the election process.

She mentioned that the registration of political party candidates, voter enrollment, and the creation of special voting stations were all completed according to the scheduled timeline.

As stated by the Chairperson, the coordination and delivery of election materials to constituencies throughout the nation has also been finalized. She mentioned that ballot papers were produced overseas and are now being sent to polling stations.

Melatwork stated that the board has addressed complaints received throughout the election process in an impartial way by assigning personnel who are not associated with any political parties.

To raise public consciousness, NEBE conducted 19 discussion sessions in five languages, which were aired via multiple media channels.

She mentioned that political parties received free campaign airtime, which included 782.5 hours of radio exposure, 520 hours of television coverage, and 576 newspaper columns.

To ensure the smooth organization of the election, she stated that over 220,000 party representatives, 64 media outlets, and 1,814 journalists have received accreditation and press permissions.

The Chairperson also mentioned that 169 civil society groups involved in voter education were given licenses, with 114 of these receiving financial assistance from the board. Additionally, 55 civil society organizations were provided with observer licenses.

With the election blackout period starting on May 28, Melatwork called on all political parties to wrap up their campaign efforts in the time left.

She ultimately urged voters to visit their designated polling stations on June 1, 2026, and vote by utilizing their constitutional privileges.