The birth rate has increased, the death rate has decreased, but the population and voters have declined...

In Azerbaijan, Chairman Mazahir Panahov announced at a meeting of the Central Election Commission (CEC) on May 26 that there are 6,334,178 eligible voters in the country. This number indicates a decrease in the voter population compared to the previous year. On June 1 of the previous year, the CEC reported the inclusion of 6,401,955 voters in the national voter list.

The country has also experienced a decline in its overall population. The State Statistics Committee (SSC) stated that as of January 2023, the population stood at 10,127,145 people. This figure represents a decrease from the official count of 10,156,366 people announced a year ago. Despite the SSC's report of an increase in the birth rate and a decrease in mortality, the detailed reasons for the decline in population and the number of voters have not been officially disclosed by government bodies. Media outlets close to the authorities attributed the population decline to the 2019 census, but it remains unclear if the decline began specifically in 2023.

The CEC explained to the Turan news agency that the voter list is compiled based on information provided by relevant executive authorities, municipal authorities, and military unit commanders. Over 38,000 members of lower election commissions were involved in the preparation and clarification of the lists. They collaborated with various official bodies such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Justice. The CEC operated 115 hotlines and an online appeals option on its website throughout the process. However, neither the CEC nor the SSC have made statements specifically addressing the reduction in the number of voters. Attempts to obtain information from these bodies on this matter have been unsuccessful.

Anar Mammadli, the head of the election monitoring and Election Monitoring and Democracy Education Center (EMDEC), expressed concerns about the implementation of the voter list preparation process regulated by the Election Code in Azerbaijan. In an interview with Radio Azadlig Mammadli stressed the  need to examine the SSC's census process and regulate it, given claims that individuals who have left the country are still included in the census.

The EMDEC reports that the number of individuals over 18 years old in the country exceeds the CEC's voter count by approximately one million. However, it has not been officially clarified which figure is closer to the truth.

Mammadli suggests the possibility that one million people have already left the country, but he believes further clarification is necessary. He personally finds it difficult to imagine the presence of 6 million voters in the country. The reduction process appears to be connected to the State Statistics Committee. Any population decline would consequently affect the voter lists.

Mammadli argues that both the population census and the voter lists should be transparently revised in accordance with international standards.