Galkaayo Leads Voter Roll as Galmudug Prepares for State Elections
GOOBJOOG NEWS|DHUSAMAREB: Galkaayo district has emerged as the largest electoral battleground in Galmudug ahead of Thursday’s state elections, accounting for nearly one in every four registered voters across the state.
Figures released on Wednesday by Somalia’s National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) show that Galkaayo has 65,950 registered voters, the highest among the 11 electoral districts participating in the July 30 polls.
Abudwaaq follows with 48,358 registered voters, while Hobyo ranks third with 37,734. Adaado is fourth with 33,679 voters, making the four districts home to more than 69 percent of all registered voters in Galmudug.
At the other end of the scale, Galaad/Masagawaay has the smallest voter register with 4,368 eligible voters, followed by Ceeldheer with 5,435 and Balanbale with 7,349.
According to the commission’s figures, the distribution of registered voters is as follows:
| District | Registered Voters |
|---|---|
| Galkaayo | 65,950 |
| Abudwaaq | 48,358 |
| Hobyo | 37,734 |
| Adaado | 33,679 |
| Dhuusamareeb | 23,735 |
| Guriceel | 22,001 |
| Harardheere | 9,929 |
| Heraale | 8,872 |
| Balanbale | 7,349 |
| Eeldheer | 5,435 |
| Galaad/Masagawaay | 4,368 |
The commission’s data indicates that Galmudug has a total of 267,410 registered voters expected to participate in the elections.
The wide variation in voter numbers highlights the differing electoral weight of districts. Galkaayo alone accounts for about 24.7 percent of the total registered electorate, while Cabudwaaq represents 18.1 percent and Hobyo 14.1 percent. Together, these three districts make up more than half of all registered voters in the state.
Voting is scheduled to take place on July 30 to elect members of the Galmudug House of Representatives and local councils, marking another step in Somalia’s ongoing transition toward multiparty elections.