Political Parties’ Order on Ballot Papers Set
The draw was organized by the National Election Committee (NEC) on May 29 with the representatives of the 18 competing political parties. Photo: National Election Committee
- By Teng Yalirozy
- May 29, 2023 2:00 PM
PHNOM PENH – Pre-election public draw was held to determine the order in which the political parties will appear on the ballot papers for the July 23 general elections.
The draw was organized by the National Election Committee (NEC) on May 29 with the representatives of the 18 competing political parties, and listed them as follows:
Beehive Social Democratic Party will appear first on the list, followed by Khmer United Party.
Then come Cambodian Nationality’s Party (3rd), Khmer National United Party (4th), Democracy Power Party (5th), Khmer Farmers Party (6th), Women’s Party for Women (7th), Khmer Anti-Poverty Party (8th), FUNCINPEC (9th), Dharmacracy Party (10th), Grassroots Democratic Party (11th), People Purpose Party (12th), Khmer Economic Development Party (13th), Ekpheap Cheat Khmer Party (14th), Khmer Conservationism Party (15th), Cambodian Youth Party (16th), Cambodia Indigenous People Democracy Party (17th) and Cambodian People’s Party (18th).
Traditionally, the ranking number is used as communication material by political parties, which often pick up a song with their attached number as an election anthem.
It can also help illiterate people remember which party they want to vote for while being in the voting booth.
Ranking 18th on the official ballot order gives the CPP one of the two best positions – with the 1st place – to be remembered by voters, while the ruling party already stands unchallenged as its main competitor, the Candlelight Party (CP), has been barred from contesting.
CP was unsuccessful to register for the election as it failed to submit to the NEC the original document of its registration certificate registered with the Interior Ministry.
Following the May 15 NEC decision to reject its application, the party appealed to the Constitutional Council, which was its only possible recourse. But on May 25, the Council upheld the NEC’s decision, barring Candlelight from participating.
The party issued a statement that the ruling was not in line with the 1991 Paris Peace Agreement and violated the party’s right to participate in the election. It also violated the right to vote and be a candidate and the decision-making rights of the people, it said.
On May 27, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the party’s failure to comply with the registration process was the responsibility of the party as an applicant.
The NEC was enforcing the election process with one single standard based on the principles of fairness and equality, the spokesperson said, adding that noncompliant political parties should not be given special privileges. Doing the opposite would be considered using a double standard.
In a statement, UN experts urged Cambodian authorities to ensure an inclusive, genuine, and peaceful electoral process. “We are alarmed by the restrictions imposed on the right of political parties to participate in elections,” the experts said, calling for the upcoming general elections in July 2023 to be held in accordance with the minimum standards for free and fair elections. “This is essential to ensure the freely expressed will of the Cambodian people.”
The election is due to take place on July 23 with the NEC having prepared 23,789 polling stations for the national election and anticipating spending about $50 million.
As of May 25, 29,164 national observers from 11 associations and non-governmental organizations and two special guests have been approved to monitor the election.
