Two options have been adopted for the voting rights of migrant workers in Kachin State, said U Tun Aung Khaing, Deputy Director of Kachin State Election Sub-Commission.
The deputy director elaborated “There will be two types of voting rights for migrant workers. The first option: they can cast their votes in their native towns. The second option: is the commission will put their names on the voters list, if they want to cast their ballots in the current locations where they have been residing. They will have to apply to the commission with Form-3 (a) for a recommendation based on the places where they have been residing for more than 90 days.”
Migrant workers after filling in Form-3 (a) obtained from the election commission must then seek a recommendation from the companies and organizations that have employed them for more than 90 days. Furthermore, U Tun Aung Khaing explained “Migrant workers can start applying to the commission only after the lists of candidates are approved but one month prior to the election.”
At present, the total number of eligible voters in Kachin State has exceeded 1,090,000, up around 220,000 compared to that in 2015 General Elections.
The number of eligible voters is expected to increase after migrant workers have exercised their rights and applied to vote.
Hundred thousand of migrants from four corners of the country are working in Hpakant jade mining sites, tissue banana plantations and other daily-earning works.
