Voters turn out across Galmudug for Local Council and State Parliament elections.

Polling stations opened across Galmudug on Thursday as voters in 11 districts cast ballots to elect local council members and representatives to the state parliament in the federal member state’s first one-person, one-vote election.

The vote marks the second time a Somali federal member state has held elections under a direct voting system, following South West State, and is being closely watched as part of Somalia’s broader efforts to expand direct electoral participation.

The Chairman of the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC), Abdikarin Ahmed Hassan, officially opened polling in Dhusamareb, the capital of Galmudug, marking the start of voting across the state.

Voters are participating in a combined election to select local council representatives and members of the state parliament. Election officials and observers have been deployed at polling centres to oversee the process.

Large queues were reported in several districts early Thursday morning, with men and women turning out to cast their ballots. In Dhusamareb, voters gathered outside polling stations, while reports from Abudwak, Guriel, Bandiradley and Wisil also indicated significant participation.

In Guriel, residents were voting through a one-person, one-vote system for the first time, with government officials registered in the district also participating in the election. In Abudwak, many women were among those waiting at polling stations before voting began.

Residents of Wisil in southern Mudug also formed queues at polling centres, where election officials and observers were present to monitor the process.

In Bandiradley, men and women formed separate lines outside polling centres as residents prepared to choose their local and state representatives.

In Hobyo, District Police Commander Aden Farah Elmi said security personnel had been deployed to protect voters and maintain public order. He said the police were prepared to support residents and ensure that voting proceeded peacefully.

Security forces were also deployed across Gaalkacyo, the capital of Mudug region, ahead of the election. On Wednesday night, residents gathered in the city centre in support of the direct voting process, with many saying they were preparing to participate in an election for the first time.

Some residents described the opportunity to vote directly for their representatives as a significant milestone. One young voter said casting his first ballot was as meaningful to him as his own birthday, while another said the importance of one-person, one-vote was that citizens could personally choose who would represent them rather than having their political future determined by others.

The election is also taking place in districts that have been affected by the security situation in Somalia. State media reported that some areas participating in the vote were liberated from Al-Shabaab control within the past two years.

The Galmudug election is expected to serve as an important test of Somalia’s efforts to transition toward direct elections and strengthen political participation at the federal member-state level.

As voting continues across the 11 districts, authorities have urged residents to participate peacefully, while security agencies remain on alert to protect polling stations and ensure the electoral process proceeds without disruption.

Mustaqbal