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Cambodia’s biometric voter registration process is undergoing a transformation with political parties and election observers monitoring it, but noting inadequate publicity as the National Election Committee (NEC) updates voter registration ahead of the 2027 commune elections.
The election watchdog, Committee for Free and Fair Election in Cambodia (COMFREL), called for improvements to biometric data collection, the removal of duplicate records and broader public awareness of voter registration procedures.
The voter registration has been open for 26 days as of November 1, with over 1.2 million people registering themselves in that period, including 876,860 people updating their biometric data, according to an NEC official on November 2.
Voter list inspection and registration opened on October 7, 2026 and will close on November 30 amid preparations for the commune council election next year. Eligible citizens aged 18 have been invited to register, while existing voters are asked to check whether their details are correct and to update their biometric information, according to a statement by the NEC.
In addition, voters who registered in 2016 and 2017, including those who registered 10 years ago but never updated their biometric data (photographs and fingerprints) were asked to do so within the timeframe.
However, a confusion over the biometric data voter registration process has left some citizens wondering why they need to have their photographs taken when checking their Khmer ID details, including verifying their voter registration with commune election officials. They said they have already checked their information, and updated their biometric data and voter records.
Comfrel’s report on voter registration observation and audit of the 2025 voter list detected 40 duplicate names among 10.19 million on the voter list. It also found 18 other suspected duplicate names that require further biometric data verification—irregularities that should be addressed before the next election.
However, NEC said the voter registration and 2025 voter list audit report was acceptable and consistent with its ongoing review efforts, and continuously improved the implementation process.
NEC spokesperson Hang Puthea said that citizens who have already registered to vote, but their identification card has expired and needs to be renewed must bring the new identification card to the voter registration team to have it updated.
“This means providing the new ID card to the voter registration team for them to take a photo and record them. Updating biometric data refers to voters who registered 10 years ago or more,” he said. The updating of biometric data will be carried out every year during the annual voter list verification and registration.
“But we noticed that some citizens were confused, thinking they have already registered to vote and are required to register again when their previous registration was 10 years ago or more,” Puthea said.
“Even if they have not come to update this biometric data, their name still remains on the voter list and they still have the right to vote,” Puthea said. However, on election day, there might be some delays or disruptions when checking facial features or appearance which could have changed.
As such, he urged voters who registered more than 10 years ago to update their biometric data, which means taking new photos and re-submitting their thumbprints because biological characteristics, such as facial structures and fingerprints may have changed.
“Citizens’ understanding of checking lists and voter registration is generally not difficult because we do it every year. However, the minor confusion is related to biometric data. This is the second year we are conducting the update for biometric data,” he said.
Senator Kong Monika from Khmer Will Party said that voter registration and biometric data updates are essential to Cambodia’s electoral process, noting that the NEC’s public outreach has not been widespread.
“It is crucial that the dissemination of information about this issue is transparent, efficient and inclusive,” he mentioned, adding that broadcasting through social media, television and some radios is insufficient.
“When citizens don’t receive clear information, they may become confused, leading to a misunderstanding between new registration and biometric updates,” Monika said.
He urged the NEC to strengthen public outreach and communication in this period of new voter registration. It includes coordinating with civil society organizations and political parties to encourage citizens, especially those who have just reached voting age, those who have just returned from Thailand due to the border disputes, and others in order to understand the issues and register for the upcoming elections.
Korn Savang, policy and advocacy coordinator of Comfrel, welcomed the biometric data update but called for NEC to disseminate information to local communities.
“We observed that the promotion and dissemination at the grassroots level are not fully comprehensible because citizens are misunderstanding the need to update. They are confused about the process of making an ID card with the biometric process,” he said.
“Suffice to say the dissemination of information is not widespread,” Savang said.
