Ballots Amidst the Barrage: Inside Myanmar’s War-Torn Election

The Voting Begins Under a Sky of Smoke

On a steamy Sunday morning, soldiers outnumber voters at polling station 14 in Yangon’s outskirts. Sandbags form a makeshift checkpoint; ballots arrive in a rusted army jeep. Inside, poll workers whisper: turnout must look strong for the cameras.

‘We Have No Choice,’ Say Residents

‘If we don’t ink our finger, soldiers mark us. If we do, resistance groups call us traitors.’
— Ma Thida, 42, street vendor

Across the country, similar scenes unfold. In Kayah State, artillery duels echo within earshot of ballot boxes. In Mandalay, civil servants are bussed in under armed escort. The junta claims a smooth vote; local journalists count more security personnel than civilians.

What the Ballot Actually Asks

• Approve the military-drafted constitution? (a single ‘Yes’ box)
• Pick from two ex-generals for regional councils
• Ignore 17 banned parties, including Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD

Opposition networks urge a silent boycott, circulating photos of defaced ballots soaked in kitchen oil—an act of protest that carries a three-year prison term.

Counting Votes While the Country Burns

By dusk, smoke rises from a torched administrative office in Sagaing. Inside, charred ballot papers flutter like black butterflies. The election commission still promises preliminary results within 48 hours, though internet blackouts make verification impossible.

International reaction was swift. Washington labeled the exercise a ‘sham,’ while neighboring Thailand quietly keeps trade gates open. China, seeking stability on its border, congratulated the junta for ‘restoring the democratic process’—a phrase that draws scorn from activists.

Human Cost in Numbers

• At least 4,200 civilians killed since the 2021 coup, per U.N. estimates
• 1.9 million displaced, many too afraid to vote
• Zero foreign observers accredited

Back in Yangon, night curfew begins at 9 p.m. Soldiers patrol with dogs; residents power off lights to avoid patrol attention. Yet even darkness cannot hide the ink still drying on ballots—an indelible reminder of a vote few believe will end the war.