Military families and civil servants pressured to vote for USDP in Mingaladon amid voting machine failures

Mizzima

Military families and civil servants within the Mingaladon cantonment in Yangon were reportedly coerced by superior officers to cast their ballots for the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) during the first phase of the national election on 28 December.

Military sources revealed that rehearsal sessions held prior to the vote included mandatory instructions and implied threats of consequences for those whose actions might cause “trouble” for their families.

One voter described selecting the USDP out of fear, noting that the similar appearance of party logos on the electronic voting machines added to the pressure to avoid making any “mistakes” that could be interpreted as defiance.

The election process in Mingaladon was further marred by significant technical issues, as electronic voting machines suffered malfunctions including unresponsive buttons and printer failures, causing delays of over two hours at several polling stations.

While state media attempted to project an image of orderly participation, ground observations indicated a tepid voter response, with many individuals only showing up late in the day after being warned by colleagues of potential repercussions for failing to vote. In residential wards, administrative officials used loudspeakers throughout the afternoon to urge a reluctant public to cast their ballots, highlighting the junta’s struggle to achieve high turnout in the commercial capital.

Despite the deployment of 144 polling stations across Mingaladon’s 27 wards and five village tracts, the overall atmosphere across Yangon remained tense and marked by low engagement from ordinary citizens.

This first phase of the election, which covered 12 townships in the Yangon Region, has been widely dismissed by domestic revolutionary forces and international observers as a “sham” designed to entrench military rule.

Reports of systemic coercion and technical instability underscore the challenges facing the junta as it prepares for the upcoming second and third phases of voting in January 2026.