The Tamesis
February 16, 2026
Vientiane – A total of 4,764,384 citizens are eligible to vote in the elections for members of the 10th National Assembly and the 5th Provincial People’s Assembly held nationwide on February 22.
Professor Chaleurn Yiapaoher, deputy chairman of the National Assembly and member of the National Election Commission, told a press conference on Thursday that 23,378 voters lived in other countries and had registered to vote in person at Lao embassies and consulates.
He pointed out that although there are hundreds of thousands of Lao citizens working in other countries, the number of people registered to vote is relatively small because many live far from embassies and consulates and cannot easily reach polling stations.
He clarified the voting procedure, explaining that if there were seven candidates in a constituency and to elect five representatives, voters would have to cross out the two candidates they did not want to choose. If a voter crosses out more or fewer names than required, or does not cross out any names, the ballot will be considered invalid.
He also corrected a common misconception, emphasizing that a candidate’s name being crossed out meant that the candidate was not selected, while uncrossed names were those of elected representatives.
Responding to some people’s misunderstandings and suggestions that elections are irrelevant in one-party countries, Professor Challen explained that electoral systems vary according to each country’s political system. In a multiparty system, each party nominates its own candidates. However, in Laos, according to the constitution, a single ruling party represents all ethnic groups in the country.
He added that the February 22 election is an important step towards strengthening democracy and reaffirming the voting rights of the Lao people as the true holders of state power in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
