How to vote|

Following the ratification of the constitution, Nepal is having its second round of municipal elections this Friday (on May 13, 2022). Six metropolitan towns, 11 sub-metropolitan cities, 276 municipalities, and 460 rural communities will host the event. Even though it is the second election, first-time voters may have a unique experience.

As a first-time voter, you may be unsure about how to vote or what to do in general during election season. It is your right to vote, but it is also your obligation to know how to vote. As municipal elections approach, there are a few things first-time voters should be aware of.

Your duty in the elections begins well before election day, not only as a first-time voter, but as a voter in general. Candidates are busily campaigning for votes as the election approaches. So, either online or through the Election Commission’s website, attempt to obtain a list of candidates for the elections in your area.

Similarly, you should know the electoral symbols candidates have been allotted before casting your vote. There are a few well-known ones, including those associated with prominent political organizations, such as the CPN-sun UML’s and the Nepali Congress’s tree. A sickle and a hammer inside a circle is also the electoral emblem of the CPN-Maoist Centre.

At the municipal/rural municipality level, you will vote for a mayor/chair and a deputy mayor/deputy chair. Wards are formed from local units. So you’ll vote for a ward chair and four members in each ward, two of whom must be women and one of whom must be from the Dalit group.

A code of conduct encompasses all of the rules and laws that all election participants must adhere to, including the government, political parties, candidates, and those who vote for them. This is done to ensure that everyone takes part in the election in a responsible and peaceful manner. As a result, first-time voters should be aware of this.