Over 1 Million New Voters Added as Nepal Prepares for March 2026 Election

Nepal has added more than one million new voters ahead of the House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5, 2026. According to the Election Commission, the total number of registered voters has now reached 19,005,324, up from 17,988,570 in the 2022 elections.

A total of 1,016,754 new voters—many of them first-time Gen Z voters—were added during the latest registration drive. Until November 1, 2025, the voter count stood at 18,168,230. Following widespread concerns that many young voters had been excluded, the government issued an ordinance allowing additional registration from September 25 to November 20, 2025.

During this extended period, around 850,000 new voters were enrolled:

• 473,345 men
• 363,778 women
• 61 others

Of the total additions, 344,914 registered through the regular process, while 492,180 were enrolled using biometric national ID records.

Election officials say registration surged after the Gen Z movement on September 8 and 9, which led to the resignation of then–Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. With no possibility of forming a new government from the existing House, an interim cabinet led by former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was formed on September 12. On its recommendation, President Ram Chandra Paudel dissolved the House and set the election date.

After the announcement, voter registration was initially allowed until November 1. However, claims of Gen Z under-representation prompted the government to extend the deadline through an ordinance. Political parties and youth groups then set up registration help booths nationwide.

The Election Commission will publish the voter list of those turning 18 by March 3, 2026, on December 5.
From December 6 to 12, individuals can file corrections or complaints regarding duplicate entries, deceased voters, false information, or multiple registrations. Complaints can be submitted online, at Provincial Election Offices, or District Election Offices. The final voter list will be published on December 30, with only minor revisions expected due to biometric verification.

Voter numbers have been steadily rising in recent years:

• 2017 election: 15,427,731 voters
• 2022 election: 17,988,570 voters (an increase of 2.56 million)
• 2026 election (upcoming): 19,005,324 voters

However, this trend contrasts with earlier years when voter numbers fell sharply—from 17.6 million in the 2008 Constituent Assembly election to 12.1 million in 2013.