CAMEROON · ELECTIONS
Key Facts
- The country Cameroon is a Central African state of about 28 million people, ruled by President Paul Biya since 1982.
- What happened Draft voter lists are posted in all 360 communes, and checks and corrections run until Tuesday 10 November 2026.
- The roll The unrefined national roll held 8,238,778 voters on 31 August 2026, including 252,830 new names.
- Next steps The national roll is due on Wednesday 30 December 2026, ahead of elections planned for February 2027.
- Turnout so far Two Douala offices counted about 50 visitors each, while Buea’s office reported three problem cases.
Cameroon voters can check and correct their names on draft lists posted in all 360 communes until Tuesday 10 November 2026. The country’s election body, Elections Cameroon, says the lists are the base for the next legislative and municipal elections.
For US readers, the roll matters because it decides who can vote in Cameroon’s next national contests. It also shows how much trust Cameroonians place in an election system that international partners will watch closely.
What Elections Cameroon Has Posted
Elections Cameroon, known as Elecam, is the state body that registers voters and runs elections. On Thursday 15 October 2026 it announced that provisional lists were available in all 360 communes, five days early.
The Electoral Code lets Cameroon voters and political parties read the lists at their local Elecam office. Anyone who finds an error can ask the revision commission or the departmental supervision commission to fix it.
The Calendar Up to 30 December
Corrections for Cameroon voters must be finished by Tuesday 10 November 2026. The revised file then travels from the regional offices to Elecam headquarters in Yaoundé by Thursday 10 December.
The director general of elections, Erik Essousse, is due to publish the national electoral list on Wednesday 30 December 2026. That cleaned list will serve as the base for legislative and municipal elections planned for February 2027.
How Big the Roll Has Grown
Elecam closed its annual revision on 31 August 2026 and reported 252,830 new registrations. They include 150,954 men, 101,876 women and 169,225 young people, plus 176 people living with a disability.
That lifts the unrefined national roll to 8,238,778 Cameroon voters. The new names equal about 3 percent of the roll, and young people make up about two thirds of them.
What Voters Found at the Offices
In Buea, the main town of the English-speaking South-West region, the Elecam office holds 66,628 registered voters and 213 polling stations. Its head, Barrister Daniel Njie Mokake Junior, said on Tuesday 27 October that most visitors left satisfied.
He noted three cases of non-compliance, involving errors in personal details and a transfer request. The Buea checks stay open to all Cameroon voters until 10 November.
Quiet Offices in Douala, Busy Ones in the East
In Douala, the economic capital, two communal offices visited on Tuesday 27 October had seen only about 50 people each since 20 October. Staff said not every list could be pinned up for lack of space, so they looked up names on request.
In the East region, 398,036 registered voters can check their names at 33 communal offices. In towns such as Bertoua and Batouri, voters were seen crowding around the notice boards as the deadline nears.
Why the Roll Matters for the Next Elections
Municipal councillors, elected on Sunday 9 February 2020, had their term extended by presidential decree on Monday 4 May 2026 to 28 February 2027. The coming legislative and municipal elections therefore depend on a roll that is final by the end of December.
President Biya, 93, has led the country for more than four decades. Our guide to Cameroon’s politics and power players explains who holds influence around him.
What It Means for US Readers
Cameroon is a Central African country where the United States has security and mining interests. A credible list of Cameroon voters supports stable politics, which investors and diplomats weigh when judging risk.
US companies and travellers should watch whether the roll is accepted by parties and civil groups. Disputes over the lists could fuel tension before the polls, especially in regions with long-running unrest.
What Is Not Known
The exact polling date has not been announced, although the elections are planned for February 2027. No count has been published of how many people corrected their entries or asked to be removed.
Elecam has also not said how many names will be taken off when the file is cleaned. It is unclear whether opposition parties will accept the final list.
More: Cameroon news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can check the lists for Cameroon voters?
Every voter and every political party can read the lists at their local Elecam office. The checks are open until Tuesday 10 November 2026.
How many voters are on the Cameroon voter roll?
The unrefined national roll held 8,238,778 voters on 31 August 2026. That figure includes 252,830 new registrations.
What can a voter do if their name is wrong?
A voter can ask the revision commission or the departmental supervision commission to correct the entry. Elecam’s communal offices can show where to file the request.
When will the final national list be published?
The director general of elections is due to publish it on Wednesday 30 December 2026. It will use the cleaned and merged file.
Which elections will use this roll?
The roll is the base for the next legislative and municipal elections, planned for February 2027. The exact polling date has not yet been announced.
Sources: Elections Cameroon (Elecam), announcement of provisional electoral lists, 15 October 2026, 15 October 2026; Elections Cameroon, statement by the Director General of Elections on the 2026 revision results, 1 September 2026, 1 September 2026; Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon, decree extending the term of municipal councillors, 4 May 2026, 4 May 2026; Electoral Code of Cameroon, Law of 2012, section 78(2), 2012.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error