2 weeks Ago
As nationwide elections for municipality mayors and council members are approaching, concerns are mounting amid the relatively low level of public enthusiasm for the polls that fall on May 11. Such concerns should not be dismissed. Instead, an immediate response is required from the Election Commission (EC) to improve the situation and encourage more people to participate.
Some observers have raised concerns over the EC's lacklustre election campaigns in some provinces that could end in unfavourable poll results. The EC must heed such concerns and adjust its tactics, doing more to enliven the poll campaigns and heighten public awareness to help secure a high voter turnout. The poll agency is aiming for 70%, up from 66% in the 2021 polls.
Yet the lack of enthusiasm on the part of eligible voters could dash the EC's hopes for the elections set to take place in 2,469 municipalities in 76 provinces, except Bangkok. There are 4,558 candidates for mayors, and 60,521 for municipal councils. In a recent interview, EC president Itthiporn Boonpracong said the agency is ready to ensure free and fair polls.
Mr Itthiporn said the last turnout of 66% may seem unimpressive, but when broken down by provinces, the results for some areas were quite outstanding. He said the agency will campaign more to raise public awareness. Such pledges are welcome.
They may help save the agency from its mistakes in the previous Provincial Administration Organisation (PAO) elections in February, in which it experienced embarrassment as the PAO poll turnout, at 58.45%, fell short of its 65% target. More importantly, the turnout, despite a fierce contest among major political parties, dropped from the prior PAO poll in 2020, which was a little over 62%.
Back then, observers blamed the EC for ignoring criticism that it had made a mistake in holding the polls on a Sunday rather than a Saturday. Back to the looming May 11 elections, despite the voting day also being a Sunday, some observers attribute voters' lack of enthusiasm to the fact that major political parties have shunned the contest, unlike the PAO poll. The People's Party is fielding the most candidates, contesting 39 provinces.
Pheu Thai, meanwhile, has only one candidate running for the mayor of Nakhon Chiang Mai, leaving the contest to local political families and networks. A municipality may be seen as a small local administrative unit, but they are of great importance given that their work, a fundamental service for local people, raises the quality of life, education, and local development. The annual budget for municipal offices can run as high as 240 billion baht.
The EC should at least maintain the level of voter turnout from 2021 in which Phatthalung topped the list as the province with the highest turnout for a municipal contest with 83.43%, followed by Lamphun (78.75%), Ratchaburi (78.
18%), Chachoengsao (77.52%) and Prachin Buri (77%). To achieve this goal, the EC must use all of the available resources to raise voters' awareness of the polls.
It's well known that high turnouts can serve as a panacea in preventing political foul play, meaning the right and capable people will be granted access to political office..
