Despite Myanmar’s growing coronavirus caseload and continuing unrest in some areas, early voting began Thursday for the November 8 general election, which involves nearly 100 political parties and contests for the upper and lower houses of the national, state and regional governments.Early voters include citizens unable to return to their constituencies because of COVID-19 restrictions, and voters older than 60 in townships under stay-at-home orders, according to the Union Election Commission (UEC). A total of 1,171 seats are being contested, 
according to the Myanmar President U Win Myint casts his ballot, Oct. 29, 2020, during early voting in his country’s election. (VOA Burmese Service)Win Myint, 68, is also running for the national Lower House, where he holds a seat representing Tamwe Township that he secured in the 2015 general election.Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) is widely expected to be returned to power in the vote. The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is expected to dominate the nominations for seats in the military bloc.If Suu Kyi’s party wins, she will resign from her constituency to form a government. The winner of a by-election will then represent Kawhmu Township.Suu Kyi said on Monday that the government was well-prepared for the election, despite the COVID-19 outbreak. According to the Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi casts her ballot, Oct. 29, 2020, during early voting in her country’s elections. (VOA Burmese Service)The UEC was criticized for favoring the NLD because many voters in the restive states support ethnic parties, according to a statement released October 18 by the Kachin State People’s Party, Kayah State Democratic Party, Karen National Democratic Party, Chin National League for Democracy and Mon Unity Party.It is unclear when voters in these areas will be allowed to vote. “The Union Election Commission is making decisions affecting people’s right to choose their representatives without an iota of transparency,” Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said Wednesday. “Myanmar’s election commission needs to fully explain the basis for its decisions on each of the affected townships, which affect the voting rights of 1.5 million largely ethnic minority people.”Thet Naing, in Sittwe; Htet Aung Khant in Mandalay, and VOA Burmese journalists in Naypyidaw, Agga Non, Mon State and Washington, D.C., contributed to this report. 
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