The number of people in Chin State eligible to vote in next year’s general election has increased by more than 60,000 compared to the last time Burma went to the polls in 2015, according to the state’s election commission.

“According to the 2014 census, more than 50,000 people [in Chin State]will turn 18 in 2020 and therefore become eligible to vote in the general elections,” U Lin Kyaw, the secretary of the Chin State Election Commission, told Khonumthung News.

“Government staff from other states and regions will also be able to vote here. And university students from Chin State studying in other parts of the country will also be added to the list of eligible voters. People moving from rural areas to towns and cities are also more likely to be registered to vote. So I expect a total increase of more than 60,000,” he added.

The election commission’s statistics show that there were total of 275,418 eligible voters in Chin State between 2015 and 2018, but this figure will rise to 342,613 by 2020, meaning that there will be 67,195 more people in the state with the right to vote next year.

Chin State has 70 wards in municipal areas and 464 village-tracts. There were 1,031 polling stations across the state in the 2015 general elections, but the election commission plans to increase this number to 1,087 stations next year.

The commission’s secretary said that it would try to collect correct data for the voters’ list.

This will involve checking family registration lists to remove deceased family members and ensuring that disabled people and those working abroad are registered to vote.

“We are updating the voters’ list every month. We are working together with township GADs [general administration departments]and township election commissions to create an accurate list,” said U Lin Kyaw.