Voters cast ballots during the commune council elections, in Takhmao town of Kandal province in May 2022. - PP
PHNOM PENH (The Phnom Penh Post/Asia News Network): Ahead of the July 23 general election, the National Election Committee (NEC) and the government’s legal team have reiterated stern warnings against those urging voters to invalidate their ballot papers.
This warning primarily targets opposition figures including Sam Rainsy, former president of the long-defunct Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), and ex-CNRP senior lawmaker Mu Sochua, along with their staunch supporters, who have mounted a vigorous campaign encouraging voters to spoil their ballots.
The opposition campaign is founded on claims that the disqualification of the Candlelight Party (CP) from the upcoming election for allegedly failing to submit necessary documentation undermines its legitimacy.
In his July 9 social media post, Rainsy opined: “A null and void vote is the only fair response to a null and void election in Cambodia on July 23, 2023. It’s also a way to collectively call for real elections with the real opposition.”
This post was widely shared via social media, sparking a heated response from the NEC.
In a press release dated July 11, the NEC issued a clear legal warning to such campaigns.
“Those who instruct voters to do so will be penalised in accordance with the law,” it warned.
