Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen (C) shows his ballot during the commune election in Kandal province, Cambodia, on June 4, 2017. The commune elections kicked off in Cambodia on Sunday after a two-week election campaign. (Xinhua/Phearum)
KANDAL, Cambodia, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The 4th commune elections kicked off in Cambodia on Sunday after a two-week election campaign.
A total of 22,148 polling stations opened at 7:00 a.m. local time and are due to close at 3:00 p.m. local time, according to the National Election Committee (NEC).
Twelve political parties contest in the elections, with the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) being the major contestants.
CPP's President and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen is scheduled to vote at a polling station near his mansion in Kandal province, roughly 10 km south of capital Phnom Penh, while CNRP's President Kem Sokha will cast his ballot in Phnom Penh.
The NEC said that approximately 7.87 million eligible voters are expected to vote in the elections which are held to choose 11,572 commune chiefs and councilors for the kingdom's 1,646 communes.
The preliminary election results are expected to be announced on Sunday evening and the official results will be released 21 days after the election.
Held once every five years, the commune elections are seen as a bellwether of the party's support ahead of the general elections in July 2018.
In the last commune elections in June 2012, the ruling CPP gained 61.9 percent of the votes, compared to about 30.6 percent for the opposition.
