Voters in Myanmar began casting ballots on Sunday in the country’s first general election since the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in 2021.

Observers warn the election is heavily restricted, with much of the nation inaccessible due to ongoing conflict.

The initial phase of the election is being held in only about a third of Myanmar’s 330 townships, while voting in 65 townships has been cancelled entirely due to civil war conditions.

“This means that at least 20 percent of the country is disenfranchised at this stage,” said Al Jazeera’s Tony Cheng, reporting from Yangon. He noted that turnout in urban centers may be key to gauging public engagement.

Early voting in Yangon

Polling stations in Yangon opened at 6 a.m., with a steady flow of voters, mostly middle-aged, observed throughout the morning. Cheng noted that the ballot offers few choices, with the vast majority representing military-backed parties.

The military’s chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, voted in Naypyidaw, dipping his finger in indelible ink to prevent multiple voting. He declared the elections “free and fair” despite international criticism.

Criticism from UN and rights groups

The United Nations, human rights organizations, and Western governments have condemned the election as an exercise lacking legitimacy.

“An election organised by a junta that continues to bomb civilians, jail political leaders and criminalize all forms of dissent is not an election — it is theatre performed at gunpoint,” said Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar.

Aung San Suu Kyi, deposed after her party’s 2020 landslide win, remains detained, and her National League for Democracy (NLD) has been dissolved.

Security measures

Downtown Yangon saw polling stations heavily guarded overnight, with armed officers controlling intersections. Electronic voting machines are being used for the first time, designed to prevent write-ins and spoiled ballots.

Despite security and new technology, many citizens remain skeptical. Moe Moe Myint, a resident of Mandalay, described it as “impossible for this election to be free and fair,” citing ongoing violence and displacement.

Expected outcomes

Analysts predict a decisive victory for the pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), maintaining army control with a thin civilian veneer.

“The outcome is hardly in doubt: a resounding USDP victory… but it will in no way ease Myanmar’s political crisis or weaken the resolve of armed resistance,” said Richard Horsey of the International Crisis Group.

With the new administration expected to take power in April 2026, international recognition and support are likely to be limited, and divisions in the country may deepen.