Members of the “Fair Elections” working group of the Democratic Party (DP), aimed at preventing election fraud and violations, took part in the “4:11” press conference. During the session, J.Bayarmaa, the head of the working group, highlighted concerns regarding voter migration, noting a significant increase to around 70,000 voters in the capital city. In 2023, 60,000 people relocated, while in 2022 and 2021, 50,000 people moved each year. Presently, there are 20,000 additional citizens, indicating a notable surge in population, often referred to as the “migration of grasshoppers” during election years. A request was submitted through the sub-committee of the Parliament's Voter List and Registration Oversight Subcommittee to acquire comprehensive data on these migrations by province, district, and sub-district levels. Furthermore, a discussion on this issue is scheduled for next Monday.
J.Bayarmaa also emphasized the need for cooperation from other political parties and civil society organizations, urging them to collaborate on obtaining detailed information on these migrations by various administrative units. In addition, M.Tulgat, a representative of the Capital City Council, expressed reservations about the distribution of mandates among constituencies. He pointed out disparities in representation, citing examples such as Bayanzurkh District, with a population of 450,000, being divided into three wards, whereas Bagakhangai District, with a population of 4,500, has only one mandate. Tulgat argued that such divisions should consider regional development policies to ensure fair representation, as the current discrepancy in the number of voters per mandate undermines the principle of equal representation and leads to differences in the weight of votes. He criticized the division of the capital city into regions based on geographical features rather than infrastructure, streets, and lifestyle.
The General Election Committee has officially registered the DP to participate in the upcoming 2024 regular parliamentary elections, with the confirmation letter duly received. During the event marking the handing over of the DP's confirmation letter by the GEC, E.Odbayar, the General Secretary of the DP, emphasized the party's commitment to rectifying past election errors by advocating for policies aimed at ensuring fair competition. He underscored the paramount importance of free elections as a cornerstone of democratic societies, stating that as a party upholding democratic principles, the DP will contest the election with the trust of the people to safeguard and uphold societal values, preventing regression into single-party dictatorship. E.Odbayar urged all political parties to refrain from engaging in negative campaigning and to instead focus on policy discussions, thereby enabling citizens to make informed choices. With the upcoming election being of global significance, with 60 percent of the world's population participating, E.Odbayar highlighted a global trend of holding ruling parties accountable, expressing the hope for a fair election in line with this standard. In conclusion, the DP called upon other political entities to participate in the 2024 parliamentary elections with fairness, emphasizing the importance of policy-centered competition.
