A number of Presidential tickets weighed in on the Independent Election Commission's (IEC) distribution of election materials, which began last week. The candidates expressed concerns about the IEC's ability to get sufficient numbers of ballots to the country's over 6,400 polling centers on time.
As Afghanistan nears the 2014 Presidential election, which would be the country's first democratic transition of Presidential power in history, apprehensions about security and the integrity of the voting process have risen.
Candidates contesting President Hamid Karzai's position spoke out this week about the IEC's remaining preparations for the vote, which in recent weeks has focused on getting election materials such as voter ballots disseminated to the Commission's provincial hubs around the country.
"Our demand is that ballot papers should reach all polling sites," said Habiba Sorabi, the Vice Presidential running mate of Zalmai Rassoul said.
"Our experience of the previous elections in Bamyan province is that ballot papers were finished by 11:00 am and 12:00 PM, and this issue deprived many of their right to vote," Sorabi said, having formerly served as the Governor of Bamyan.
The IEC has said that 14 million Presidential voting ballots and another 14 million Provincial Council ballots have been prepared for the elections, printed in Dubai.
The IEC has called ballots "essential" materials, and said that they have yet to be distributed around the country. "Non-essential" materials such as result forms, voter lists and dyes have for the most part already been transferred to the provinces.
Some of the candidates indicated fears that the elections could be delayed as a result of insecurity and trip-ups in the IEC's preparations.
"We hope that Allah almighty helps us in conducting the elections properly and according to schedule," Presidential candidate Qayoum Karzai said.
"We hope that the election materials will be dispatched on time to the targeted areas," Presidential candidate Sardar Mohammad Nadir Naeem said.
Presumably for security reasons, the IEC has only begun transferring materials to their offices in Provincial capitals, not yet individual polling centers in outlying districts. IEC officials have said that ballots would not be sent to the polling centers until just 20-25 days before the April 5 election day.
Some candidates, however, had only hope to offer when it came to the IEC's ability to get necessary materials to polling stations.
"We hope that they will be able to transfer the ballot papers to the polling centers, inshallah they will," Presidential candidate Hedayat Amin Arsala said.
Despite the Ministry of Interior's (MoI) recent report to the IEC maintaining that over 90 percent of polling sites would be open and secure come election day, many Afghan officials remain anxious about the government's ability to ensure all eligible Afghans are able to exercise their vote.
Concerns about insecurity forcing a low-voter turnout, or opening the door to electoral improprieties, have refused to go away despite assurances from the IEC and security institutions.
Still, the candidates were firm in their stance on the IEC and its obligation to see through the elections as best as possible.
"It's the responsibility of the election commission to accomplish the duties on its shoulders," Presidential candidate Gul Agha Sherzai said.
The 2014 elections mark the first time Afghans have entirely overseen an election cycle since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001. The NATO coalition has offered its aid, but has been refused, as Afghan leaders look to prove their mettle to the international community, as well as their own countrymen.