Ethiopia will hold its 7th General Election on June 1, 2026, the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) announced on Tuesday, marking the formal start of a long electoral cycle in a country still navigating political tension and institutional reform.
NEBE Chairperson Melatwork Hailu said the Board has already launched a series of pre-election preparations aimed at ensuring a more organized and technologically supported process.
Those steps include restructuring branch offices, assessing the readiness of polling stations, and rolling out nationwide training for political parties to help them communicate their platforms effectively to the public.
For the first time, candidate registration will be conducted through a custom-built digital platform, allowing political parties and independent contenders to file their applications online.
Melatwork noted that the transition to digital systems is designed to reduce delays, strengthen verification, and modernize Ethiopia’s electoral infrastructure.
Voter registration will also follow a hybrid model—partially conducted through NEBE’s new software and partially through manual systems to ensure accessibility in areas with limited digital connectivity.
The Board is additionally finalizing a separate digital system to register election observers, a move officials say will expand transparency and improve monitoring during the 2026 vote.
NEBE’s announcement signals an early push to stabilize electoral expectations and give political actors a clear timeline ahead of what is expected to be a pivotal national vote.
