Interior minister reports 16.5 million provisional voters ahead of 2026 elections

Morocco’s Interior Ministry has provisionally registered about 16.5 million voters nationwide after removing 1.4 million entries during its annual electoral roll revision, a process authorities say is central to preparations for legislative elections scheduled for 2026, following low voter participation in the last polls.

The figures were presented on Tuesday by Abdelouafi Laftit before the Chamber of Counselors.

Morocco’s last legislative elections, held in 2021, recorded a national turnout of about 50 percent, renewing scrutiny over voter registration accuracy and participation levels. No official electoral calendar has yet been announced for the 2026 vote.

Laftit said the provisional electorate now stands at 54 percent men and 46 percent women, with 55 percent of registered voters in urban areas and 45 percent in rural regions.

The annual update led to the removal of 1.4 million registrations for legal reasons, primarily the loss of effective residence in the commune or district of registration. Other grounds included duplicate registrations, deaths and loss of electoral eligibility.

At the same time, authorities recorded 382,170 new registrations, including 254,740 submitted online through the official voter registration platform and 127,430 filed in writing at local administrative offices.

Laftit said removals were carried out under verification procedures. “A voter is not removed unless their departure from the commune or arrondissement is confirmed,” he told lawmakers.

The Interior Ministry also conducted centralized digital cross-checks using multiple databases to identify anomalies, including address changes between communes or districts, inconsistencies in national identity data, clerical errors and deaths not previously reported to administrative commissions. Many cases were linked to residential mobility, urban redevelopment and housing relocation programs.

Laftit said his ministry, in coordination with political parties, will issue a ministerial decree setting the timetable for a second exceptional voter registration operation, aimed at expanding the electorate before the 2026 elections.