CPP president Hun Sen (out of frame) chairs the ruling party’s congress in December. CPP
The Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) nominated 115 candidates for the upcoming 5th Senate election, with contenders running in eight zones across all 24 provinces and the capital and polls set to open on Sunday, February 25.
CPP President Hun Sen signed a January 2 resolution, stipulating that the chairmen and vice-chairmen of the regions must collaborate with the leaders of the party working groups and committees in the capital and provincial areas, to introduce all members of their respective groups to the electorate.
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“Each group must allocate its resources and engage with the electorate from this point forward. The electorate must cooperate effectively with party members who are currently serving as senators.
“The party’s working group and committees for the capital and provincial areas, along with the candidates in each region, must collaborate to prepare for the election campaign and execute the most effective campaign in compliance with legal provisions and planned strategy.
“All candidates are required to fulfill their responsibilities once the National Election Committee (NEC) has officially declared the election results,” the resolution stated.
According to the election calendar, the NEC will publish the first voter list on January 5, to serve complaints or objections. The commission will then validate the official voter list on February 9.
NEC chairman Prach Chan stated recently that in preparation for the election, voter registration and the compilation of a voter list are already underway.
He said the group has received the list of incumbent lawmakers and all commune councilors, totaling 11,747 voters.
He added that going forward, the commission would need to create ballots for each region which will include the arrangement of political party names standing for election and which will be decided based on the number of each political party on the ballot for the eight regions.
The NEC held a lottery last week to determine the order ofpolitical parties presented on the ballot, in which the CPP came in first, the Khmer Will Party (KWP) second, the National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful and Cooperative Cambodia (FUNCINPEC) third and the Nation Power Party (NPP) fourth.
According to the resolution, the eight election zones are: Phnom Penh; Kampong Cham and Tbong Khmum; Kandal; Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey and Pailin; Takeo, Kampot and Kep; Prey Veng and Svay Rieng; Kampong Speu, Kampong Chhnang, Pursat, Koh Kong and Preah Sihanouk; Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear, Kratie, Stung Treng, Ratanakkiri and Mondulkiri.
