Disputes over ballot counts and advanced votes during third phase of Myanmar elections

The People’s Party told DVB that it suspects errors in the counting of ballots in Kawhmu Township, Yangon Region, after voting was completed in the second round of the military’s 2025–26 elections on Sunday.

Kyaw Kyaw Htwe, a candidate for the People’s Party contesting the seat in Kawhmu for the Pyithu Hluttaw, or lower house of parliament, told DVB that the military-proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)’s candidate Aung Myo Than won Kawhmu with over 30,000 votes.

He told DVB that he only received 12,000 votes but would request the regime’s Union Election Commission (UEC) recount all ballots cast in Kawhmu, which has been held by Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) party since by-elections in 2012. Kawhmu is located 36 miles (57 km) south of the commercial capital Yangon.

“What is happening today in Kawmhu and other National League for Democracy strongholds is not democracy. It is an attempt to rewrite the people’s will through force and fear,” Kim Aris, Aung San Suu Kyi’s son, told DVB as news of the USDP victory over rival parties became apparent, on Jan. 11.