Voting 101

What is election and what is voting?

An election is a formal, organized process through which citizens select individuals to represent their interests in public office. It serves as the primary way for a society to determine who will hold positions of authority within the government. 

Voting is the primary mechanism through which people exercise this power and participate in this decision-making process. By casting a ballot, you contribute to a collective choice, ensuring your perspective is considered on matters that impact your daily life, such as education funding, public safety, and environmental policy. 

Why should you vote?

“The right to vote is a protected Constitutional Right under Article 84 (5) of the Constitution of Nepal. This law ensures that the government is chosen by the people, not by force or inheritance.” 

Nepal is a Federal Democratic Republic with a multi-party parliamentary system. This structure means that Nepal is governed by representatives who are chosen through free and fair elections. Through this system, citizens play a direct role in deciding who leads the country, how it is governed, and what policies and laws are adopted.

During elections, voters select candidates whom they wish to entrust the responsibility of shaping the country’s government. These elected officials, known as representatives, act on behalf of the people, voicing their interests and concerns in legislative bodies. These representatives work together to make decisions and enact laws that impact the nation and its citizens. 

In an election, voters are making several big decisions at once, including:

• Legislative Representation: You select the representatives who will draft the rules and laws everyone has to follow 
• Executive Leaders: You decide which leaders or political groups will manage the country’s affairs and implement major national policies. 
• Policy Direction: You choose the political party whose ideas and vision will guide how the country is governed in the future 

Voting also holds leaders accountable. Those in power only serve the people if the people demand it. By casting your vote, you help ensure that governance reflects your values, needs, and priorities. In short, voting is how you turn your opinions and concerns into action and help shape the country you want to live in.

What is the upcoming March 5 election focused on?

The upcoming March 5 election is happening because the president Ramchandra Poudel dissolved the house of representatives, elected from the 2022 polls, following the Gen-Z protests in September. Announcing fresh polls for March 5, 2026, the government called an early general election, also known as a snap election.

Nepal has three levels of government; the federal government, provincial governments and local governments. Through elections, citizens can choose members of the House of Representatives (the lower house of the federal parliament), provincial assemblies, and local legislative bodies. The members of the National Assembly (the upper house of the parliament) are elected by the people’s representatives in the provincial assemblies. 

However, the March 5 election is only focused on electing the members for the House of Representatives. The National Assembly, provincial assemblies, and local governments were not dissolved after the Gen-Z protests and continue to function under their existing terms.

This election does not directly elect the prime minister. Instead, the results determine which party or coalition commands a majority in the House of Representatives and is therefore in a position to form the federal government.

What are the voting systems in Nepal for the House of Representatives election?

The House of Representatives (Pratinidhi Sabha) consists of 275 members elected for a five-year term through a mixed parallel electoral system that combines the first-past-the-post (FPTP) and the proportional representation (PR) systems as provided under the Article 84 of the constitution. 

All Nepali citizens aged 18 and above who are registered on the voter list are eligible to vote. In a House of Representatives election, each voter casts two votes; one under the FPTP system and one under the proportional representation system.

First-past-the-post (FPTP) system 

Under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system, Nepal is divided into 165 electoral constituencies, determined on the basis of geography and population. From these constituencies, 165 members, about 60% of the total House, are elected.

The FPTP system operates in single-member constituencies, meaning each geographical constituency elects only one member to the House of Representatives through a direct vote as provided under Article 84(1) of the Constitution. The general public can identify their electoral constituency through an online portal on the Election Commission’s website.

In this system, voters cast their vote for an individual candidate rather than a political party. The candidate who receives the highest number of votes wins the election, even if they do not secure an absolute majority of the votes.

Proportional Representation system

The remaining 110 members are elected through a proportional representation electoral system.
Under the proportional representation (PR) system, the entire country is treated as one single electoral constituency. Voters cast their vote for a political party, rather than an individual candidate.

Before the election, political parties submit a closed list of candidates to the Election Commission. After the election, the total votes each party receives nationwide are counted and converted into a percentage of seats. Candidates are then selected from each party’s list in order of priority, based on the number of seats the party is entitled to. 

The Constitution requires that different groups, such as women, Dalits, indigenous nationalities, and other marginalized communities, are fairly represented in Parliament through this system, thus ensuring inclusion and representation of marginalised groups.

Who can vote?

To cast a ballot in Nepal, you must meet the following legal requirements: 

• Citizenship: You must be a legal citizen of Nepal.
• Age: You must have reached the age of 18 by the designated cutoff date. For the March 2026 election, the Election Commission (EC) has set March 4, 2026, as the cutoff date; anyone turning 18 on or before this day is eligible to vote.
  • Note: While 16 and 17-year-olds are now permitted to register for a voter card, they cannot actually cast a ballot until they turn 18.
• Registration: Your name must be included in the official Voters’ List maintained by the Election Commission.
  • Note: According to the Voter List Act of 2016, no new names can be added to the voter list after an election date is announced. However, after the September Gen Z protests that dissolved the House of Representatives and called for a promptly scheduled election, many Gen Z voters were missing from the voter list. To address this, the interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki, issued an ordinance extending voter registration until November 21.
• Identification: You must possess a valid Voter ID card issued by the Election Commission to verify your identity at the polling station.
• Residency: You must be a permanent resident of the specific electoral constituency where you intend to register and vote.