Myanmar voters go to the polls for a second time amid fears of reprisals

The second phase of Myanmar’s junta-controlled elections went ahead on Sunday amid reports of low voter turnout and rumours of consequences for those who failed to cast a ballot, echoing patterns seen during the first phase two weeks ago. In several townships in the commercial capital Yangon, polling stations were mostly quiet during the morning hours. At a polling station in Bahan Township, no voters had arrived as of 8am, according to local residents. As the day progressed, residents said polling stations across 16 townships in Yangon—including densely populated downtown neighbourhoods—remained largely deserted. In some residential areas, election officials played campaign songs and used loudspeakers to urge people to vote, but only a handful of voters were seen turning up. “Only three or four people came out of the street holding their ID cards. Even the uniformed security guards at the polling station were sleeping on their chairs,” said one man living near Yangon’s downtown core. A Yangon resident votes at a polling station on January 11 (Photo: Kan Kaung / Myanmar Now) Motivated by fear In some of the city’s most congested areas, roads leading to polling stations were blocked with yellow tape and closed to traffic. In Latha Township’s wards 7 and 8, residents said only four or five people had voted between 11am and noon. Similarly, at around 1pm in Bahan Township’s West Shwegondaing Ward, residents said only a single family was seen entering the polling station at Basic Education Primary School No. 3, with no other voters observed. “There are a few voters here and there, but this can’t really be described as voting in any meaningful sense,” a Bahan resident said. “There are more people going to Shwedagon Pagoda than to the polling stations.” Residents across multiple Yangon townships reported low turnout throughout the day. In Pazundaung, Hlaing, Dagon Myothit (North) and Dawbon townships, polling stations were largely empty, with residents saying most of those seen voting were elderly or civil servants, while election staff and security personnel outnumbered voters. Some residents said those who did turn out appeared to be motivated more by fear than by support for the electoral process. “Some people are voting because they are afraid they won’t be allowed to travel abroad, or that they might get into trouble during inspections if they don’t vote,” one man told Myanmar Now. In Shwepyitha Township, an industrial area of Yangon, residents reported rumours circulating that voters listed on electoral rolls could face up to one year in prison or be barred from travelling overseas if they failed to cast a ballot. Zaw Naing Oo, a senior election commission official overseeing voting in Yangon, rejected the claims as baseless. “The election laws do not prescribe any punishment for those who do not vote. Whether someone votes or not is a matter of personal choice,” he told Myanmar Now by phone. Former NLD member Sandar Min, contesting the election as an independent, casts her ballot at a polling station in Yangon on January 11 (Photo: Kan Kaung / Myanmar Now) Clashes and confusion Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing visited several polling stations in Yangon’s Hlaing and Insein townships early in the day, according to pro-junta news outlets. Security at polling stations in the city was reportedly tighter than during the first phase of voting, especially in areas visited by the regime leader. Although the junta claims the second phase of the election will include 100 townships nationwide, voting in many will be limited due to ongoing fighting and partial resistance control. Voting in Kachin, Karenni, Karen and Shan states will take place only in areas under the regime’s control, while all of Chin and Rakhine states states are excluded from later election phases. Clashes are continuing in roughly half of the townships included in the second phase, according to residents and monitoring groups, raising questions about voter access, safety, and the feasibility of meaningful participation. Beyond Yangon, residents of parts of Bago Region said voting during the second phase took place amid fighting, intimidation, and confusion. In Yedashe and other townships south of the junta’s capital Naypyitaw, residents reported hearing gunfire and artillery from early morning on election day, while others said people were pressured to vote amid rumours of punishment for abstaining. Voters also described confusion over electronic voting machines and missing voter names, heavy security at polling stations, and threats ranging from fines and prison sentences to forced conscription for young people who failed to vote. “We heard gunfire from as early as four in the morning. After waking up, I ate quickly and went to vote, then packed our belongings at home so we could run if fighting broke out,” said a woman from Yedashe Township. In Karen State’s Hpapun Township, residents said they were alarmed by a man who raised his ink-stained finger, used to indicate a vote had been cast, while holding a pistol outside a polling station. Locals said they believed he was a member of a junta-backed militia group. Proxy party lead The first phase of the election, held on December 28 in 102 townships, strongly favoured the army proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party. According to post-election tallies, the party secured 90 of 102 contested seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw (lower house) and 21 of 31 seats in the Amyotha Hluttaw (upper house). The election is taking place without the country’s most popular political forces, including the National League for Democracy (NLD) and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy. Both parties were dissolved by the junta for refusing to re-register under post-coup election laws. NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains imprisoned since her ouster in February 2021. The second phase of voting will be followed by a third phase scheduled for January 25, though large parts of the country remain excluded from the process due to ongoing conflict and resistance control.

Myanmar voters go to the polls for a second time amid fears of reprisals

In Yangon and beyond, turnout was low despite concerns about possible repercussions for those who stayed away from polling stations

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