The 2002 Cambodian commune council elections

On February 3, 2002, Cambodia held elections for councils in 1,621 communes across the country. As the first local polls since the 1991 United Nations-sponsored peace plan, commune elections were widely viewed as an important step toward decentralizing power and increasing political competition throughout the nation. This report reviews the commune council election process, from the inception of its legal framework through the post-election complaints and appeals period.