EC Issues More Than 24,000 Postal Ballots for Johor State Election
JOHOR BAHRU: The Election Commission (EC) has begun issuing postal ballot papers for the 16th Johor State Election, with a total of 24,677 eligible voters receiving postal voting documents across all 56 State Legislative Assembly (DUN) constituencies.
The distribution process was carried out on Monday by election officials in accordance with the Elections (Postal Voting) Regulations 2003. The exercise forms part of the commission’s preparations to facilitate voting for eligible Malaysians who are unable to cast their ballots in person on polling day.
EC Secretary Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus said the issuance of postal ballot papers was conducted simultaneously across all Johor constituencies and took place in the presence of representatives from contesting candidates to ensure transparency throughout the process.
According to the commission, the largest group of postal voters comprises election workers, EC personnel, members of the Royal Malaysia Police, Malaysian Armed Forces personnel and accredited media practitioners, accounting for 23,288 ballot papers.
Another 1,044 postal ballots were issued to eligible Malaysian citizens residing overseas, while 345 ballot papers were allocated to voters under the agency and organisation category.
The commission reminded all postal voters to carefully follow the voting instructions provided with their ballot papers, including correctly completing the Declaration of Identity form before returning their votes to the respective Returning Officer.
Postal ballots must reach the Returning Officer no later than 5.00 p.m. on polling day, which has been scheduled for 11 July 2026. Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted during the official vote tally.
The EC also emphasised the importance of preserving ballot secrecy throughout the postal voting process. Voters have been advised not to photograph completed ballot papers or share images of their votes on social media platforms, as doing so may compromise the confidentiality of the electoral process.
Postal voting remains an important component of Malaysia’s electoral system, enabling eligible groups such as security personnel, election workers and Malaysians living abroad to participate in the democratic process despite being unable to vote at their designated polling stations.
The commission said it will continue monitoring every stage of the postal voting process to ensure compliance with electoral regulations while maintaining transparency, integrity and public confidence ahead of polling day.
With the issuance of postal ballots now underway, preparations for the Johor state election continue to progress as political parties intensify their campaigns before voters head to the polls on 11 July.
