With the election dates drawing closer, the Election Commission is moving ahead with rolling out a voter education programme.

The commission has readied a million model ballot papers for use in voter education.

The programme will be a nationwide virtual and in-person voter education campaign next month, aimed at minimising invalid votes in the upcoming snap parliamentary elections.

The commission plans to broadcast public service messages on national and local radio and television channels. Information will also be disseminated via newspaper advertisements, digital news platforms, YouTube videos, and various social media outlets.

Acknowledging that a large number of voters lack dependable internet access and that in-person guidance is often more effective, the commission is making arrangements to mobilise volunteers in every ward. These volunteers will assist voters by explaining the correct voting process to help ensure their ballots are not rendered invalid.

The government has already endorsed the budget allocated for voter education. Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said discussions are ongoing regarding different approaches and content for the programme. “Our primary objective is to educate voters on the correct voting method,” he said. As 114 political parties are contesting the first-past-the-post polls and 64 under the proportional representation, it can be challenging for the voters to find the election symbols of the parties that are listed at the bottom of the ballot paper. The commission ranks parties according to the votes they received in the previous election, while new parties are placed based on the order in which they were registered.

Records at the commission indicate that 5.06 percent of votes cast in the previous House of Representatives election were declared invalid. Of the total ballots cast under the proportional representation system, 6.55 percent were invalid, while the invalid vote rate under the first-past-the-post system stood at 4.07 percent.

Province-wise, Sudurpashchim recorded the highest proportion of invalid votes at 5.7 percent, whereas Bagmati had the lowest at 4.16 percent. In some local units during the last local elections, the proportion of invalid votes reached as high as 13 percent.

Voter education generally focuses on teaching the fundamental voting process, including voter registration, the correct placement of the stamp on the ballot paper, and the proper way to fold the ballot before inserting it into the ballot box. Many voters remain unaware that even a minor deviation, such as placing the stamp slightly outside the designated box for a candidate’s symbol, can invalidate their vote.

With a higher number of first-time voters expected in the upcoming polls, commission officials say voter education has become even more crucial. According to the commission’s final figures, the total number of eligible voters stands at 18.90 million, which is 915,119 more than in the 2022 elections. A significant share of these newly registered voters are young people.

Experts argue that providing technical voting instructions alone is not enough. They emphasise that proper voter education should also explain the purpose of voting. They say the Election Commission has to internalise that voter education is different from voter information. “Voter education is a part of civic education. It needs to be done seriously,” said Gopal Krishna Siwakoti, chair of the National Election Observation Committee. “With proper voter education, voters can make up their minds as to whom to vote for and why.”

The experts say only proper education can make people understand that voting is both a right and a responsibility, giving citizens the power to choose who will govern.

Pradip Pokharel, former chief of the Election Observation Committee Nepal, says the most important part of voter education is helping voters realise that every vote carries weight. A single vote can play a decisive role in electing or defeating a candidate, making informed participation essential in any election.

“If the commission is uncomfortable giving education on what kind of person to vote for, it can mobilise civil society organisations. This time, the education should go beyond what has been ritualistic all these years,” he said.

Bhattarai said they are still undecided on whether the commission itself should conduct the voter education campaign or involve civil society organisations. “We will soon reach a conclusion,” he said.