“When the voter list was posted this time, 172 people from our village were not included on the list. 20 percent out of a hundred had incorrect names and IDs.  Moreover, many people who had died long before we were born are included on the list.  As we can only vote when our names are included on the list, we have collected the names of those who were not included on the list and submitted it to the township commission office,” he told Narinjara News.

Ko Aye Kyaw Maung says that he and two fellow concerned citizens Ko Tun Win Gyi and Ko Maung Myint started collecting the names of residents who were not included on the list and those with incorrect data shortly after the list was first released last month.  They have submitted corrections to the Pauktaw Township Election Commission to be included on a revised list.

Ko Aye Kyaw Maung says he contacted Kyauk Maung villagers who have not been included in the list  in order for them to be included on the amended list on time.  Many of those who have not been included worked at ports including Thètwe, Pyin Phyu Chaing, Kun Chaing, Ngamaepyin and Ngarabachaing.

Residents of nearby villages have also made their own list of those whose names have not been included on the list or have incorrect data listed with their names.  According to Ko Aye Kyaw Maung villagers remain interested in the upcoming election and want to vote.

Although he has already submitted a list of voters with incorrect data and those not included on the list to the township election commission, he says he will continue to work to submit correct information to the commission and advocate for the removal of deceased people from the list.
When the voter list was released for the first time it was not posted in Kyaukmaung village as was required by official voting list policy.

Translated by Thida Linn with editing by BNI staff.