Since its founding in 1998, Puntland has relied on indirect, clan-based presidential selection. Efforts by previous administrations to introduce universal suffrage failed, but they laid the groundwork for democratic reform. Building on this, President Sa’id Abdullahi Deni oversaw Puntland’s first one-person, one-vote elections in October 2021 — Somalia’s first democratic vote in over 50 years. The trial elections in Qardho, Eyl, and Ufeyn marked a milestone, with 37,578 voters participating. However, disputes over alleged vote-buying, irregularities, and the lack of a constitutional court exposed the fragility of Puntland’s new democratic structures. Resignations within the Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission (TPEC) and Deni’s prolonged focus on a failed bid for Somalia’s presidency further stalled progress. Now, with Deni’s term ending in January 2024, concerns are mounting over possible term extension, mirroring precedents in other Somali states. For Puntland to realize democratic elections statewide, it must amend its constitution, conduct a census, register voters in all districts, and rebuild trust through clear commitments to timely elections.