Shan National League for Democracy (SNLD) candidate objected to the matter of casting advance votes at the house of ward-3 administrator in  Pangsaing (Kyukote) in Muse township and keeping the advance vote box at the house. Township Election Commission then ordered the advance vote boxes into a school.

“Polling stations for advance votes for ward 5 and ward 3 were opened on November 1. I submitted a complaint letter to the Township Election Commission about the case. I saw with my own eyes that the advance votes are casted at the house of the ward administrator. All were speaking Chinese.  Those assigned at the polling stations cannot understand what they said. Those coming to cast their votes are Chinese. They are told what to do and who to vote for. That gives me thoughts. For the polling booth officials to go and monitor there isn’t possible. There can be no justice because it is a house owned by a Chinese and how can Myanmar citizens understand the Chinese? I took the photograph of the house. People cast their votes at the house of the ward administrator. I went to Pangsang yesterday. People there told me that there were people in no-3 polling booths in Pangsang who cast their votes on behalf of those who couldn’t go to cast advance vote. If I know who did that and who they represent, I will immediately object,” said candidate Na Htwe Hmon.

As the place where the advance votes are cast is the house of a no-3 ward administrator, there were many people in and out of the house, the place set for voting is very narrow and people were speaking while they were voting. Those responsible for the casting vote said not to speak loudly and to vote one after another, they didn’t obey them. Four to six people entered the booth every time. As the place was packed with people and very noisy, it is hard to know who was the real advance voter according to polling booths monitors.

“The SNLD candidate submitted a complaint letter. We order the advance vote boxes to move to a school building as soon as we know the case,” said Zarni Myint Tun, Muse Township sub-election commission.

Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDP) won no-2 constituencies in Muse Township in the 2015 General Election.

There are 103 polling stations in 82 village tracts and 9 wards in Muse where 4 village tracts were excluded from holding elections. In no- 1 and no-2 constituencies, there are a total of 11781 eligible voters according to Muse Township sub-election commission.

National League for Democracy (NLD), USDP, Union Betterment Party, Shan National League for Democracy (SNLD), Shan National Democratic party, Taung (Palaung) National party, Kachin National party, Kachin National congress party, and two private candidates will be competing in Muse Township in 2020 General Election. Altogether 30 candidates are to participate in the election.