Very few people voted in the election yesterday in townships in Karenni State because advance voting had taken place, residents in Loikaw said.

“My children, who work in Yangon, came back to vote but when they asked for ballot papers, they were told their votes had been cast as advance votes. So, only I voted,” a Naungyar resident said.

Voters from Ward no.3 in Naungyar, Mingala, Shan Su, Phartimar, Dawtamagyi, Dawphu, Hteephokalo, Kaylyar, Telon, Hteselkhar, and Lwelinlay wards in Loikaw town had to vote in advance.

“I heard about the gunfight. I did not want to go to the polling station so I voted in advance at a school teacher’s house. The teacher gave three ballot papers and I ticked on all three ballot papers,” a Naungyar resident said.

“I did not know which parties were contesting in our township. We could not tick on the ballot paper. When they asked us, we just bowed our head. I didn’t see the ballot paper for they kept it back,” another voter said.

They collected advance votes from people after going from door to door.

According to a Phruso resident there were 30 voters left to vote because the authorities collected advance votes from Markaraw villager in Phruso township in Karenni State.

The village headman from Dawtamagyi village-tract in Demawso township collected family lists in his village and he submitted the list to the Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) on November 6.

According to a Demawso resident, the TPDC took the list of family members who are above 18 years.

“A commander of the Burmese Army’s battalion called the village headman. The village headman was seen walking around the polling station. He did not vote in the election yesterday,” the resident said.

U Khin Maung Ni, who is a member of the Kayan Literature and Culture Group, contested the election for the People’s Parliament in Loikaw town. Many people were said to have voted for him.

In Phekon township many people voted for the NUP party.