Election Observation Report of the U.S. Observer Team 

The United States Observer team has published the below Election Observation Report for the 2024 Somaliland presidential and political parties election.

Election Observation Report of the U.S. Observer Team Somaliland, 13 November 2024

Background

The U.S. observer team was invited to Somaliland by the Somaliland National Election Commission (NEC) to serve as international election observers during the presidential and party elections held on 13 November 2024. Our role was to assess the conduct of the election process, with a focus on polling stations in the southwest, including Borama, Baki, Gabiley, and the capital Hargeisa. Our observations spanned both rural and urban settings. At each of our 7 assigned centers, we observed activities at multiple polling stations. We aimed to contribute to the transparency and credibility of the election by documenting our observations and engaging with various stakeholders.

Although not election specialists, our team brought a unique perspective drawing on significant expertise in Somaliland and the Horn of Africa. This background, rooted in research, policy, and previous roles in government and related fields, informed our approach to the observation process.

The team consisted of four independent American citizens with no official status or affiliation with the U.S. government. We were accompanied by three Somalilanders, including Bashir Goth, Somaliland representative to the U.S. Our methodology included direct observation of lines and polling procedures, with our Somalilander colleagues facilitating communication when needed by translating interactions with voters, local party and association observers, and NEC officials conducting the polls. We also held substantive meetings with leading members of the three political parties contesting the election: Kulmiye, Waddani, and UCID.

Introduction

Somaliland’s National Election Commission invited some 100 international election observers to observe Somaliland’s 9th national election since 1991 and fourth one-person, one-vote presidential election since 2003. Held on Wednesday 13 November 2024, the polls were open from 6 am to 6 pm across Somaliland’s 6 regions, though some districts in eastern Sool and Sanaag regions were excluded due to security concerns.

This election included two ballots: one to elect Somaliland’s next president from among three party candidates, the other to choose its next three official parties. Registered voters chose from the current three parties (Kulmiye, Waddani, and UCID) alongside 7 additional political associations.

Observations

Our observations are primarily limited to what we observed on election day, 13 November, as our team was present in Somaliland for only a week before, during, and immediately after the election. These observations include the following:

• Voter Registration. A number of Somalilanders we met over the course of the week told us they were not voting because they were unable to register. This was due to their inability to reach the assigned location where they were to register during the specified window of time to do so. Several stated they had also tried to register separately but were not allowed.
• Under-age Voters. The first site we visited (Dugsiga Sheekh Cali Jawhar) in Borama exhibited a significant number of queued voters who were clearly underage, some as young as ten years. These mostly young men and boys accounted for approximately 15% of those in line. Each held a valid voter registration card, usually noting their birth year as 2005 or 2006. While our team did not observe underage voting in the other locations we visited, other international election observers did observe this situation elsewhere.
• Wait Times. Each election center utilized multiple rooms to queue voters according to the first letter of their first name. In several stations, people jostled in long lines to enter their assigned room, while nearby just a few people entered adjacent rooms quickly. The long lines for some rooms were the result of many Somalilanders having first names beginning with the same letter, such as ‘A’ or ‘M.’ Some men and women were disgruntled at the unequal time it took to cast their ballots.
• No Pre-Screening. We observed some people waiting in line for hours only to be told at the voting station they could not vote, because they did not have a voter registration card, or they were at the wrong polling site.
• Incorrect Polling Centers. We observed varying approaches to handling voters who came to an incorrect polling center. At Amoud University on the outskirts of Borama, NEC officials kept the registration cards of those who were not assigned to that location. We were told that election officials would allow such voters to cast their ballots only after everyone else had done so. In Hargeisa, we were told that election officials were to send voters to their correct polling centers whenever possible.
• Illiterate Voters. In situations where voters were unable to read their ballots, they were assisted by NEC officials who asked them to state both their preferred presidential candidate and their preferred party/ association. An official would then fill in the two ballots on their behalf and hold them up for the party/association observers to see, ensuring that all agreed they reflected what the voter had said. Then the official would fold the ballots and place them in their respective boxes. While no one we observed expressed concern with this, these voters were denied a secret ballot and this practice, while helpful, could inhibit voters from choosing their preferred candidate and party/association due to peer pressure.
• Security Personnel. Security forces play an important role in ensuring that voting is conducted in a safe environment free from violence and intimidation. But we observed a number of instances in which armed security, military, and police personnel were performing duties better handled by NEC officials, such as screening voter registration cards and determining who could enter polling locations.
• Identification of Ballot Boxes. Each polling station held two large transparent plastic boxes, a tall one for the party ballot and a wide one for the presidential ballot. Few had anything written on them indicating which type of ballot they contained. Most voters had to ask where to deposit their ballots; NEC officials and party/association observers would verbally instruct them to deposit their ballots in the correct boxes. When asked, NEC officials at several sites said that they would transfer any misplaced ballots to the correct boxes during the vote counting.
• Unspecified technical problems with biometric technology were reported by officials at all polling stations to which it was deployed.
• Security of Ballots. There were a few potential issues with the security of unmarked ballots. We observed some on the floor at one polling station, and they were strewn rather haphazardly on tables in others. Such ballots could be picked up by individuals without NEC officials noticing.

Analysis of Observations

Overall, we thought the voting went very well. We were impressed by the enthusiastic participation of a large number of Somaliland citizens, as voters, poll workers, and local election observers. NEC officials were present at each location we visited, wearing clothing clearly marked as NEC, and using assigned equipment. Most of these officials were women, including youth. There were also at least 5 party/association observers in the voting stations we entered. We heard virtually no complaints about the polling process from voters or local observers. That said, the NEC can still make improvements so that future elections include more eligible voters, exclude underage voters, and proceed even more smoothly.

Recommendations

• The NEC should investigate ways to make it easier for people to register, perhaps by opening a year-round registration office in Hargeisa.
• The voter registration process should institute safeguards against the registration of voters who would be underage at the time of future elections. Since many Somalilanders do not possess birth certificates, it is likely to fall on the NEC to determine alternative means to confirm young people’s ages.
• Local association and party election observers could be more thoroughly instructed as to potential concerns they should watch for. Few that we asked seemed able to identify what would constitute a problem, such as ballot stuffing or voting multiple times.
• A more equitable distribution of voters by first name could help balance the length of lines, speed up the overall voting process, and enhance voter satisfaction.
• NEC officials could walk along lines checking that voters have their registration cards and are present at their assigned voting centers.
• Guidance regarding each voter’s assigned election center could be made clearer and more readily available in the months, weeks, and days before elections. While assignments were said to be available online, many voters lack access to the internet and mobile phone data and may be unaware of the website where they can confirm their registered polling station.
• The NEC should consider means to ensure that illiterate voters have the same right to a secret ballot as other voters. The NEC could provide illiterate voters with stamps, symbols, or other recognizable images that correspond to each candidate and party/association. It could also assign an official trained to assist illiterate voters to a private voting booth.
• The presence of armed security personnel inside polling station rooms and placed among voters, NEC officials, and local observers can be intimidating as well as unnecessary, as it exacerbates already crowded conditions. While armed security personnel may be required around polling locations to obstruct persons with malicious or criminal intent, they could be removed from inside voting rooms and their roles restricted to maintaining security.
• The contents of each type of ballot box at each polling station should be printed on every side of each box. The NEC could obtain boxes and/or lids in two colors- in this case pink and blue- to match the ballots. This would reduce confusion, assist voters unable to read, and generally expedite the process. In addition, the boxes should be tightly secured throughout voting.
• It is important to ensure that each voting station has functioning technology and access to technical assistance and/or backup systems.
• Election workers should store all unmarked ballots in clearly labeled and secured boxes until needed.

Conclusions

We congratulate Somaliland for carrying out a peaceful and well-organized election, in all but some districts in Sool and Sanaag. We particularly congratulate Somaliland’s NEC for its hard work, dedication, and strict neutrality, ensuring Somaliland’s latest presidential and party elections.

One of the most striking aspects of the 13 November election was the hope and good-natured determination of Somaliland voters. Many stood patiently for hours in the hot sun to cast their votes. This is a testament to their commitment to the democratic process in shaping Somaliland’s future. We saw this spirit of resilience and optimism evident throughout the day, reflecting the strength of Somaliland’s civic culture.

While our team was very pleased to observe no unusual or violent incidents on election day, we remain vigilant about the possibility of violence during the period between 13 November and NEC’s formal announcement of the election results. Supporters of each party maintain strong expectations; any perceived unfairness could potentially lead to public unrest. Still, we are cautiously optimistic that with continued transparency, communication, and restraint by all parties, Somaliland can navigate this period peacefully and solidify its reputation as a beacon of democracy in the Horn of Africa.