The NEC announced that by-election campaigns which will be held on 26^th October will start on 13^th October, but after finishing the candidate registration until 12^th October, only campaign methods allowed for preliminary candidates will be accepted.

That is because the Public Official Election Act was revised on 28^th July: in terms of National Assembly election, elections for the local council members and heads of local governments, the starting day of candidate registration is moved up for 5 days and election campaigns are allowed from 6 days after the filing deadline to the prior day of the election day.

Therefore, preliminary candidates who finished the candidate registration are allowed to wage limited election campaigns until 12^th October: including handing out the name cards; sending e-mails; wearing shoulder sashes; direct telephone conversations; and sending text messages. General voters are allowed to conduct election campaigns from 13^th October.

The NEC said that it ordered to inform party and other candidates of election time schedule, as it concerned about pre-election campaigns from the next day of candidate registration deadline according to the old Public Official Election Act(before the revision). It also urged voters not to wage pre-election campaigns.

Meanwhile, a total of 114 candidates from 42 constituencies finished their registration on the first day of candidate registration, indicating 2.7:1 of average competition rate and the period of candidate registration ends at 6pm on 7^th October.