Somalia’s Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission has announced an official timetable for repeat local elections in Galmudug, with voting scheduled to take place on September 30, 2026.
According to the timetable, the electoral process will begin on September 10, with polling stations to be designated on that date. The final list of candidates is expected to be announced on September 20.
Political party representatives and election observers will be accredited by September 26, while the electoral campaign period will end on September 28, two days before voting.
The repeat election follows a decision by Somalia’s Supreme Court to annul the previous Galmudug elections held on July 30. On August 24, the court ruled that serious violations of the constitution and electoral laws had occurred during the process.
The electoral commission had previously accepted the Supreme Court’s decision but had not announced a new voting date. The latest timetable now provides a clear schedule for the rerun.
The Galmudug election is being closely watched as an important test of Somalia’s transition toward direct, “one person, one vote” elections.
The annulled election had given President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s Justice and Reconciliation Party a strong majority, making the outcome of the rerun politically significant.
The new vote will also be closely monitored to determine whether the electoral commission has addressed the irregularities identified by the Supreme Court and whether the new results will be accepted by the country’s political stakeholders.
The development comes as Somalia continues preparations for its broader “one person, one vote” electoral process, while elections in Hirshabelle State remain delayed.
