A man dipping his thumb into an ink bottle after casting his vote in Beirut, May 18, 2025. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient Today)
With the completion of the third phase of the municipal and electoral elections on Sunday in the provinces of Beirut, Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel, the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) recorded a “noticeable improvement in security compared to the previous round, despite some ongoing issues, especially in Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel," in its report Monday.
“There was also an improvement in the ballot counting process within the registration committees, as Beirut was equipped with computers to expedite the vote tallying,” LADE noted in its report published Monday.
“However, this improvement does not negate the ongoing weaknesses in the performance of polling station staff, particularly in understanding the procedures, especially with regard to counting votes and writing protocols.”
“This weakness was not effectively addressed by the Ministry of Interior, despite efforts to avoid errors in polling stations, forcing registration committees to recount certain stations later.”
LADE deployed 258 observers, who were distributed across various districts and polling stations, including 113 fixed observers in polling stations and 145 mobile observers who moved between stations. Additionally, there were night teams to monitor the work of the registration committees after the ballot boxes were closed.
During this phase, LADE observers recorded 740 violations, including those related to election day and the counting process.
“Overall, election day was relatively calm, especially in Beirut, which saw no major security incidents, despite rising sectarian rhetoric during the election campaigns, particularly concerning the debate over sectarian balance in the municipal council, which is not stipulated by law,” LADE reported.
In the Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel provinces, the electoral process encountered several security issues that required intervention by security forces to control. In specific cases, such as in Saadnayel and Ghazeh in the Bekaa, LADE had to withdraw its observers from polling stations to ensure their safety. Some tension and occasional chaos led to the suspension of voting for periods within the centers, as well as some injuries, such as in the town of al-Qadam in Baalbek.
Despite these issues, the security situation seemed more controlled by the end of the election day compared to what was observed during the northern and Akkar elections on May 11, 2025, as the security forces took precautionary measures during this round of elections, according to LADE.
While Article 96 of the Election Law No. 44/2017 permits voters with disabilities to seek assistance under the supervision of polling station staff, LADE observed cases where individuals were allowed to vote on behalf of others who were outside the booths.
LADE also reported increasing pressure on voters, including the distribution of electoral lists and ballots at the entrances of polling stations or inside the booths.
In some cases, several polling agents were openly directing voters, constituting direct pressure and a violation of the secrecy of the ballot.
As in previous rounds, there were significant and repeated violations of the electoral silence by media outlets, candidates, and their supporters, despite LADE’s repeated calls for adherence to Article 78 of Law No. 44/2017, as well as the Ministry of Interior's circular No. 19/EM/2025, which mandates compliance with electoral silence during the legal period.
LADE also said that "logistical issues" took place including delays in polling station openings, insufficient materials, and improper booth setups that compromised voter secrecy, particularly in Beirut and Bekaa.
Security incidents in polling stations, especially in Saadnayel, Ghazeh, Baalbek, and Zahleh, led to temporary suspensions and violence in some areas, LADE reported.
The municipal elections in southern Lebanon are set to take place on Saturday, May 24.