06.09.2024. » 11:51 | ACDC
PRESS RELEASE
DiA urges the CEC to make thorough and appropriate preparations to ensure a smooth and regular physical voting process at Kosovo's diplomatic missions.
The parliamentary elections scheduled for February 9, 2025, will introduce innovations in voting procedures, stemming from amendments to the Law on General Elections. Citizens living abroad will have access to two new voting methods, different from those used in the past. For the first time, they will be able to vote in person at 35 of Kosovo's diplomatic missions or send their ballots to these missions via mail.
"Democracy in Action" (DiA) believes that voting at embassies, consulates, or other diplomatic offices offers a valuable opportunity for citizens living abroad to engage in the electoral process. In this regard, the CEC’s decision to open physical voting at the majority of Kosovo's diplomatic representations (35 out of over 50) is a commendable step.
However, the CEC's uniform decision to cap voter registration at 1,000 per polling station across all diplomatic missions—despite variations in their physical capacity—could hinder the smooth execution of the election process. Experience shows that when active voter registration is applied abroad, particularly for the first time, turnout often approaches 100%. Additionally, considering that each voter typically requires an average of 3 minutes to complete the voting process, processing 1,000 voters within a 12-hour period could present significant challenges.
The recent changes regarding preferential voting, which allow voters to select up to 10 candidates, may also impact the time required for voting. In such cases, there may be a need to extend voting hours beyond the standard 7:00 p.m. deadline to ensure all registered voters can exercise their rights, as outlined by law.
DiA notes that the voting process abroad, which occurs one day prior to the election day in Kosovo, will directly affect the electoral atmosphere and public perception of the following day’s election.
Therefore, DiA calls on the CEC, political entities, and other stakeholders to take all necessary measures, including running intensive campaigns to inform and encourage voters to cast their ballots during quieter periods, in order to ensure a well-organized and efficient voting process.
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