Mogadishu – Somalia’s Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission announced on Sunday the complete timeline for the nation’s 2026 regional elections, with South West State scheduled to begin voting later this month.
According to the schedule, South West State will conduct the first elections. Local council and parliamentary voting will take place on May 10, followed by the election of the state parliament speaker on May 18. The regional president’s election is set for May 23, 2026.
Hirshabelle and Galmudug states will hold their elections between June 20 and July 9.
In the Banadir region, Mogadishu city council elections are scheduled for July 30, with the mayor and deputy mayors to be elected on August 5.
The timeline also shows local council elections in northeastern regions and the Gedo region of Jubbaland will occur on July 30.
The electoral commission announced that detailed regulations, procedures, and technical guidelines will be released soon to oversee the entire electoral process. They also committed to conducting public awareness campaigns, stakeholder engagement, and training programs to support the elections.
The commission stressed the importance of transparency, accountability, impartiality, and compliance with electoral standards to establish public trust in the process.
The commission appealed to political parties, candidates, government institutions, regional administrations, and the Somali public to fully adhere to the announced schedule and procedures to guarantee free, fair, and credible elections.