Officials at the Independent Election Commission (IEC) said that the openings of voter registration centers in 12 districts are behind schedule due to security issues.
The IEC reported that the unopened centers are in districts within the Ghazni, Zabul, Nuristan, Paktika, Kunar, Kapisa and Helmand provinces.
IEC officials added that the commission was not able to find employees to operate the soon-to-be-opened centers in a couple districts of Nuristan and Paktika because of death threats against potential registration workers. The officials said they would need to bring in non-residents to work in those districts.
"It negatively effects the election when registration centers can't be opened in every part of the country. We demand that security organizations do more to provide security for the election," said Zia-ul-Haq Amarkhel, Secretariat Chief of IEC.
Officials from the Ministry of interior (MoI) acknowledged the challenges facing the registration centers in many areas of the country, but emphasized that security forces have and will continue to do all they can to provide the security needed for the elections.
"Yes, there are threats, but we have a chance to remove the threats. The Afghan National Police are committed to providing security for the elections throughout the country," said Sediq Sediqi, spokesman for the MoI.
The MoI recently announced that 259 polling centers in Ghazni, Wardak, Zabul, Nuristan, Helmand, Kandahar, Logar and Farah provinces are considered to be facing security risks.
The IEC has announced that, up to this point, 300,000 people, including 65,000 women, have received voting cards across the country. According to some IEC officials, however, female voter registration is lower than its projected goals.