Elections commission extends voter registration period

The High National Elections Commission has extended the voter registration deadline for the forthcoming second round of municipal elections.

Citizens will now have until close of business on 6 April to register—a decision taken in response to worryingly low participation rates since registration commenced on 22 February.

In an official statement, the Commission cited inadequate public awareness campaigns as a significant factor contributing to the poor turnout.

These crucial outreach efforts have been severely hampered by budget constraints, with the Commission currently facing a funding shortfall of 30 million dinars.

Despite lodging repeated formal requests with government authorities, the unity government has allocated a mere 15 million dinars—precisely half the sum required to properly administer the electoral process.

The Commission has voiced profound concerns regarding its capacity to successfully deliver the second round of municipal elections under such stringent financial limitations.

Senior officials have stressed that this substantial funding gap poses a serious threat to the integrity of the democratic process.

The extended registration window, which now continues through to the conclusion of Ramadan, provides citizens with multiple participation options, including attending designated registration centres in person or utilising the Commission’s simplified text message system.

Electoral officials have strongly encouraged eligible voters to make use of this “relatively long” extension period to ensure their democratic participation in the upcoming municipal elections.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​