Promo-LEX Association launches today, 21 April 2022, the Observation Mission (OM) of New Local Elections of 29 May 2022. In 8 out of the 10 communities, the elections will be held for the position of mayor[1]. The need to elect a new mayor emerged as a result of death (6 persons) and resignation (2 persons) of the local elects. In other two communities, the local councils were dissolved due to their failure to pass any decision during 6 consecutive months, and hence new local councils need to be elected[2].
Electoral observation will cover the electoral period and the election day (including the second round in the communities where it will be held), and will be conducted by the central team, as well as 4 long-term observers (LTOs) and a short-term observer (STO) in each polling station.
The Observation Mission will traditionally monitor the elections organisation and conduct for compliance with democratic principles and the legal framework. The findings will cover the activity of electoral bodies and other relevant institutions, the performance of electoral contenders and of political parties, including the funding of the electoral campaign. On the election day, we will monitor the opening and closing of polling stations, voting process, accessibility of offices, and ballot counting. Promo-LEX OM will also perform the parallel vote tabulation. As a result, on the second day after the elections we will issue a press release for each round of elections, and the general monitoring outcomes, along with the Mission’s conclusions and recommendations, will be included in a final report.
At the same time, based on the experience of monitoring the New Local Elections of 2019 and the New Local Elections of 2021, Promo-LEX reminds about some constant problematic aspects found previously and that can be repeated during these elections, as well. We thus draw the attention to the need to ensure equal conditions between parties and independent candidates at the signature collection stage by introducing the obligation for all candidates to collect signatures, not only the independent ones. We also reiterate the need to regulate expressly the conditions for organisation and conduct of the second round of elections, in particular: regulate the special conditions for organisation and conduct of the second round of elections when one or both candidates who passed to the second round are de-registered/withdraw; electoral campaign starting date for the second round; procedure and deadlines for challenging the outcome of the first round of elections in cases when there is a second round.
Promo-LEX is a non-governmental organisation with the richest experience in national election monitoring. Since 2009, Promo-LEX has monitored 22 elections (local, parliamentary and presidential), involving over 16 thousand national observers. Observation missions have the goal to inform people how elections are organised and conducted, as well as increase people’s trust in the electoral process.
Promo-LEX Association carries out the Observation Mission for the New Local Elections with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Democracy, Transparency and Responsibility Program.
For more information, please contact:
Andrei Dudnic,
Press Officer
GSM: 060505109
e-mail: [email protected]
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[1] Elections for the position of mayor: Ghetlova com., Orhei district; Horodiște com., Rezina district; Zastânca v., Soroca district; Moara de Piatră v., Drochia district; Tătărești v., Strășeni district; Glinjeni v., Fălești district; Zăicani v., Râșcani district and Hagimus v., Căușeni district. Elections for new members of local councils: Bobeica com., Hâncești district and Lozova com., Strășeni district.
[2] Elections for new members of local councils: Bobeica com., Hâncești district and Lozova com., Strășeni district.