November, to allow the elections to proceed peacefully and enable voters to cast their votes independently. During this time, political parties, hluttaw candidates and their representatives were also prohibited from using social networks, websites, and other media channels to post campaignrelated materials and messages 23. On 6 September, the Ministry of Health and Sports (MOHS) issued guidelines on election campaigning during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure political parties and candidates conducted their campaigns without compromising public health and safety. These included the wearing of face masks, keeping a six-feet social distancing, using hand sanitiser, and limiting the number of participants in rallies and gatherings to 50 people, or 15 people for door-to-door canvassing. The guidelines also prohibited any campaigning in areas under stay-at-home order, which made social media, especially Facebook, essential for parties and candidates to reach voters ahead of these “new normal” elections. Much of the campaign involved motorcades with trucks, cars, motorbikes, bicycles, and parades of party supporters. Because of limited gatherings, political parties also resorted to billboards and banners to display campaign messages. Members of political parties told ANFREL observers of the difficulties they encountered in following social distancing guidelines as there was a lack of space in campaign venues. As they could not use monasteries and other religious buildings, they resorted to reducing the number of people in gatherings or conducting activities in the open, which proved uncomfortable for attendees. As in the past, political parties and candidates also had to submit requests in advance to their local election commission to hold campaign events. Indeed, election officials coordinated the campaigning of different parties to avoid rallies coinciding with each other. Candidates interviewed by ANFREL admitted that this approach was generally successful in preventing tensions and said they did not feel hindered in their ability to campaign freely. However, in several locations, interviewees claimed that candidates from the ruling NLD received preferential treatment from the UEC, for instance by getting quicker approval of their campaign events or being granted the first chance to campaign in a specific location. COVID-19 dealt a heavy blow to the traditional campaign strategies of political parties and candidates. In the 2015 elections, the campaign atmosphere was festive and lively, with mobile campaigns, music, handing of leaflets, public rallies, and door-to-door campaigns 24. In comparison, the campaign for the 2020 elections was rather subdued. A female candidate interviewed by an ANFREL observer reported that in areas with stay-at-home orders, her party was only able to reach out to voters by requesting friends and supporters to distribute party pamphlets and campaign materials to their neighbours on their behalf. In Northern Shan state, some parties said they were unable to conduct multi-stakeholder campaign events with the public (which they did in 2015), and instead were restricted to putting up billboards in downtown areas and in some village tracts. Some political parties, however, became creative in their campaign strategies. For instance, in Yangon’s Thingangyun township, a candidate for the People’s Pioneer Party (PPP) set up a mobile market stall which sold affordable groceries while carrying campaign posters to woo voters 25. At times, candidates took advantage of the COVID-19 situation to undertake campaign activities. Personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face masks or face shields bearing the logos of political 23 https://www.gnlm.com.mm/announcement-of-union-election-commission/ https://anfrel.org/anfrel-eom-2015-report/ 25 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/myanmar-election-candidate-grocery-truck-supporters-13439616 24 18