By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter
Ethiopia , June 03, 2026 - Ethiopia's 7th General Election has entered a crucial vote-counting phase, with electoral officials across the country tallying millions of ballots cast during what has been described as one of Africa's largest democratic exercises.
The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has begun aggregating results from constituencies nationwide following the June 1 polls, which attracted more than 40 million voters out of over 54 million registered voters.
While preliminary constituency results are expected to emerge in the coming days, the electoral board has indicated that the official final results are scheduled to be announced on June 11 after verification, reconciliation and certification processes are completed.
The counting process follows an election that saw exceptionally high voter turnout in many parts of the country, with some polling stations extending voting hours until midnight to accommodate long queues of voters who had arrived before polls officially closed.
Election officials are currently transporting ballot boxes from polling stations to constituency and regional tallying centers, where votes are being systematically counted and verified.
The process is being monitored by domestic observers, political party representatives and international observer missions, including teams from the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
Observers have emphasized that the tallying phase is among the most critical stages of any election, as it determines the integrity and credibility of the final outcome.
The National Election Board has urged patience as officials work through millions of ballots cast across approximately 52,000 polling stations.
The election represented one of the largest voting exercises in Africa this year.
According to election authorities, more than 54 million Ethiopians registered to vote, while over 40 million citizens ultimately participated in choosing representatives for the House of Peoples' Representatives, regional councils and city administration councils.
The election involved 42 political parties and more than 10,000 candidates competing for elected office across the country.
Long queues formed at polling stations from the early hours of Election Day, prompting observer missions to praise the enthusiasm and commitment displayed by voters.
Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, head of the IGAD Election Observation Mission and former Vice President of Uganda, noted that she had rarely witnessed voters arriving before dawn to wait for polling stations to open.
Despite the broad participation, the election was not conducted across all parts of Ethiopia.
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The Tigray region did not participate in the polls due to continuing political and administrative challenges following the devastating conflict that ended in 2022.
Security concerns also prevented voting in several areas of the country.
According to election officials, approximately 143 polling stations failed to open because of security-related challenges, while some constituencies in conflict-affected areas were unable to participate in the election.
Parts of the Amhara region were among the areas affected by insecurity linked to ongoing tensions and armed conflict.
To ensure affected voters are not permanently excluded from the electoral process, NEBE has announced plans to conduct elections in suspended constituencies and polling stations later this year.
Voting in some constituencies, including areas within the Somali and Harari regions, has been postponed and is expected to take place in September.
The delayed voting means that while national results will be announced next week, some electoral contests will remain unresolved until supplementary polling is completed.
As counting continues, political analysts widely expect Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's Prosperity Party to retain its dominant position in Ethiopian politics.
The ruling party secured an overwhelming parliamentary majority in the 2021 elections and enters the current race with significant institutional and organizational advantages.
However, opposition parties and some political observers have continued to raise concerns about competitiveness, political space and the broader electoral environment, issues that are likely to remain part of the national conversation even after results are announced.
With voting now concluded in most parts of the country, attention has shifted from campaign rallies and polling stations to tallying centers where election officials are determining the outcome of one of the Horn of Africa's most consequential political events.
The coming days are expected to provide the first indications of voting trends across Ethiopia's regions, while the official declaration of results on June 11 will offer a clearer picture of the country's political direction for the next five years.
For now, election authorities, political parties and international observers remain focused on ensuring that the counting process proceeds transparently, accurately and peacefully as Ethiopia moves toward the final chapter of its 7th General Election.