The National Election Committee will today transport ballots for the July national election from the Ly Vann Hong printing firm to an NEC warehouse in Russei Keo district’s Kilometer 6 commune, officials said.
Nearly half the 10,454,400 ballots being printed are ready, said NEC Secretary-General Tep Nytha. The country’s 8,125,529 registered voters will use most of them, he said, but some will be set aside as surplus in case of an emergency.
“We appeal for all—political parties, NGOs, observers—to observe the transportation,” Tep Nytha said Monday.
In all, there are 13,786 national observers from about 50 NGOs and associations registered to watch the electoral process. There are 124 international observers registered, according to Tep Nytha.
SRP lawmaker Kuy Bunroeun said the SRP will assign observers to monitor the ballot printing, transportation and storage.
The NEC also appealed Monday to the Ministry of Labor to give days off to workers so they can vote. The NEC asked for companies to give workers in Phnom Penh one day off; workers in Kandal, Kompong Speu and Kompong Chhnang provinces two days off; and workers in the remaining provinces three days so they can vote.
Oum Mean, secretary of state of the Ministry of Labor, said the ministry has asked garment factories to give employees paid holidays and advance wages to facilitate voting.
