More than 11,600 Timorese Voters Registered Abroad Ahead of the 2027 Presidential Elections
Since October 8th, 2026, the Government – through the Ministry of State Administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and the Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE – acronym in Portuguese) – has been conducting electoral registration and updating the biometric database of Timorese citizens living abroad in preparation for the 2027 presidential elections. According to provisional figures released by STAE on November 4th, 11,623 voters have been registered in Australia, South Korea, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Northern Ireland.
The operations are conducted under Government Decree No. 6/2026 of September 16th and Joint Ministerial Order No. 40/2026 of September 30th, which set out the schedule and locations for voter registration abroad through January 22nd, 2027. The process enables the enrolment of new voters, the updating of personal and biometric data, and the replacement of previous voter registration cards with the new biometric card, thereby facilitating the exercise of voting rights for Timorese citizens residing outside the national territory.
To carry out the operations, STAE deployed technical teams to diplomatic and consular representations, where registration equipment was installed and frontline personnel were trained. Mobile registration services were also established in various cities to facilitate access for citizens living or working far from consular posts.
In South Korea, the Vice-Minister of State Administration, Jacinto Rigoberto Gomes de Deus, visited the cities of Busan and Gwangju on October 24th and 25th, accompanied by National Elections Commission (CNE) Commissioner Odete Belo and representatives from STAE, the Ministry of State Administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and the National Bank of Commerce of Timor-Leste (BNCTL), with support from Timor-Leste's Ambassador to South Korea.
During meetings with Timorese communities, the Vice-Minister urged participation in the registration drive, explaining that updated data will determine the number of resident voters in each region, supporting polling station planning. Technical teams delivered registration services in Busan, Gwangju, Seoul, and other locations with a concentration of Timorese workers.
In the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State for Local Development, Mateus W. dos Santos Tallo, monitored operations alongside representatives from STAE, the CNE, and the Embassy of Timor-Leste. The mission also included the Director-General for Consular Affairs and Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Josefina Carla Pompeia Tilman.
On 29 October in Oxford, the Secretary of State presided over the launch of local registration activities and symbolically handed over new biometric voter cards, while technical teams began replacing cards and updating records. Two days later, in Crewe, an information session was held for the Timorese community to clarify procedures for voter enrolment and data updates.
In Australia, operations were conducted in Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin, and Warrnambool. In Portugal, services were provided in Lisbon, Porto, and Beja, while in Northern Ireland, activities took place in Belfast, Portadown, and Dungannon.
As part of these activities, the Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral, is scheduled to meet with the Timorese community in New South Wales, Australia, on November 6th, 2026, between 18:00 and 20:00 at the Mercure Hotel, Liverpool Catholic Club, in Liverpool. The meeting, organised by the Embassy of Timor-Leste in Australia through the Consulate-General in New South Wales, will provide an opportunity for direct dialogue with Timorese citizens and to clarify matters regarding voter registration in that country.
According to STAE, the technical teams deployed to Australia and South Korea have completed their initial training and operational support missions and have returned to Timor-Leste. Registration continues through consular services, with personnel trained to ensure operational continuity.
STAE also announced plans to establish registration posts in Indonesia—specifically in Jakarta, Bali, and Kupang—and in China (Beijing) to expand voter registration access for Timorese citizens living in those countries.
Operations are proceeding through coordination among government institutions, STAE, and diplomatic and consular representations, with the aim of maintaining up-to-date electoral registers for the 2027 presidential elections.
