A Rare Mention Of Dissenting Votes

North Korea's Upcoming Election: What to Expect

A Rare Mention of Dissenting Votes

SEOUL, Nov 28 (Reuters) - North Korea on Tuesday made a rare mention of dissenting votes in recent elections, although analysts dismissed it as an insignificant gesture. The mention came in a report by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), which said that "some" voters had cast ballots against the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in local elections held on November 20.

Delayed or Canceled Parliamentary Elections

North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), the country's national legislature, is set to hold elections every four to five years. Parliamentary elections were expected to be held in March or April 2024, but it is considered likely that they have been delayed or canceled. The last parliamentary elections were held in March 2019.

Mandatory Voting in Local Elections

In contrast to the parliamentary elections, local elections have been held in North Korea since 1999. While voting in local elections is mandatory for all citizens over the age of 17, the results are widely seen as preordained, with the WPK candidates always winning. According to KCNA, voter turnout in the November 20 local elections was over 99%, with 99.9% of voters casting their ballots for WPK candidates.