SOMALILAND NON-STATE ACTORS’ FORUM
ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION
STATEMENT OF PRELIMINARY FINDINGS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Presidential and party elections were held in Somaliland on 13 November 2024. A competitive campaign offered Somaliland’s voters a choice of political alternatives, although the policy platforms of the candidates were not prominently discussed. Political parties and associations
were able to campaign freely.
Although the conduct of some political contestants fell short of the standards established by law, the National Electoral Commission (NEC)’s Electoral Ethics, Conflict Resolution, and Monitoring Committee took robust steps to discipline party activity.
Pre-election preparations, including voter registration, were generally administered efficiently and transparently by the NEC. On election day, the NEC opened more than 2,600 polling stations across all six regions of Somaliland.
SONSAF observers submitted reports from 272 polling stations across the country and evaluated voting procedures as good or very good in more than 90% of observations. In almost all instances, voters were able to exercise their democratic choice freely. However, many polling stations opened late, and widespread challenges with the biometric voter identification system were documented. Some SONSAF observers were initially prevented from observing polling, primarily in Togdheer region. While these shortcomings did not appear to affect the overall integrity of the electoral process, the NEC’s response was not always timely, causing delays for many voters, and in some instances contributing to tensions in the vicinity of polling stations.
SONSAF observed several serious incidents during polling. Two men were witnessed attempting to buy voter registration cards in Badhka, Hargeisa, leading to an altercation with waiting voters and with the security forces. In the Calamadaha area of Hargeisa, a polling station security officer inadvertently shot himself while firing in the air to disperse a crowd. However, such incidents were uncommon, and election day was generally calm, if sometimes boisterous.
Toward the end of voting, SONSAF observers witnessed flagrant political interference in polling in Barwaaqo, Berbera by senior party, police, and municipal figures. SONSAF observers were forced to leave the polling station by the security forces. We call on the NEC to investigate this incident further and to take the necessary action, as appropriate.
SONSAF observed vote counting and tallying in 242 polling stations and evaluated counting procedures as good or very good in 95% of observations.However, in at least 23 instances in Awdal, Berbera, Burao, Hargeisa, and Sool, SONSAF observers reported that they were prevented from observing counting, either partially or entirely. Where SONSAF observers were present,
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STATEMENT-OF-PRELIMINARY-FINDINGS
