By Asha Elmi - Reporter
MOGADISHU, 30 September 2026 Voting has begun in Galmudug and Hirshabelle in simultaneous elections to elect members of local councils and the state assemblies, according to the timetable of the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC).
NIEBC Chairman Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan, who is in Dhusamareb, said voting has opened in 11 districts in Galmudug and 10 districts in Hirshabelle.
The elections are part of Somalia's transition to a one-person, one-vote system, under which citizens directly vote for their representatives.
Voting began in the morning and is expected to continue until sunset.
What are voters choosing?
Voters are participating in two elections taking place simultaneously: elections for local councils and elections for the state assembly.
Local councils operate at the district level, while the state assembly serves as the legislative body of the federal member state. The assembly will eventually play a role in selecting the state's president and vice president.
What is different about the Galmudug election?
Galmudug is holding a repeat election.
The previous elections for the Galmudug local councils and state assembly were held on July 30. However, on August 24, the Supreme Court annulled the election results and ordered the electoral commission to conduct the elections again.
The NIEBC subsequently issued a new timetable setting September 30 as the date for the repeat vote.
For the July election, the NIEBC said 270,737 people had registered to vote in Galmudug.
What is happening in Hirshabelle?
Hirshabelle is holding the combined local council and state assembly elections for the first time.The elections were initially scheduled for August 20 but were postponed after the NIEBC said voter registration was still underway in four districts in Hiran region.
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The revised timetable moved the election to September 30.
The NIEBC designated districts across Hiran and Middle Shabelle regions where voting is taking place.How many political parties are contesting?
According to the NIEBC, 55 political parties are contesting the Hirshabelle election, while 48 parties are contesting the repeat election in Galmudug.
The elections have also attracted political figures who have previously held positions in the two federal member states.
In Hirshabelle, Ali Gudlawe Hussein, the incumbent president of Hirshabelle, is among those seeking the state's top office. He is also the candidate of the Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP), according to the party.
In Galmudug, Liban Ahmed Hassan is also running for the state presidency as the JSP candidate in Galmudug.
How many people are voting?
In Galmudug, 270,737 people were registered for the July election, and the same voter register is being used for the repeat election.
In Hirshabelle, the NIEBC had planned to publish the final voter register on September 19. However, at the time of writing, the commission had not officially published the figure on its social media platforms.
As a result, the exact number of registered voters participating in today's Hirshabelle election was not publicly available at the time this report was prepared.
How do the elections fit into Somalia's one-person, one-vote plan?
The Galmudug and Hirshabelle elections are part of Somalia's broader process of transitioning to a one-person, one-vote electoral system, in which voters directly elect their representatives.
The NIEBC previously conducted elections in Banadir and later in South West State, and is now overseeing simultaneous elections in two federal member states.