19 November 2017
Time: 10.00
Until 10 am on 19 November 2017, the day of the Referendum on the dismissal of Chișinău General Mayor, Promo-LEX Observation Mission for the local referendum identified some violations: polling station opened with some delays, unsealed ballot boxes, as well as presence of advertising materials within the area of the polling station.
Restricted access or preventing the free observation process at the polling station – 5 cases.
PS 59, Botanica, Chișinău. Promo-LEX observer was restricted the free observation process in the polling station.
Presence of advertising materials, electoral billboards and posters in the vicinity of the polling station (within the area of 100 m from the PS) – 2 cases
PS 304, Trușeni, Chișinău. At 06:40 am, within the area of 50 meters from PS, posters with pro-referendum electoral content were identified on an information panel.
PS 117, Center, Chișinău. Poster within the area of 100 meters from the polling station, with content encouraging voters to vote for dismissal of the Chișinău General Mayor.
Ballot boxes were not sealed according to the legal procedures/tearing/damage or absence of seals on ballot boxes — 7 cases.
PS 278, Vatra, Chișinău. The ballot box was sealed by only 3 seals. The PS chairman explained that the fourth seal was needed for the mobile ballot box (de facto, the mobile ballot box has other seals).
PS 247, Râșcani, Chișinău. The observers found that the PS chairman had broken one seal by mistake when sealing the ballot box, and had not replaced it with another seal.
PS 269, Sângera, Chișinău. The two ballot boxes were found to be sealed with 2 seals each (instead of 4 seals each).
PS 190, Ciocana, Chișinău. Insufficient seals at PS opening (7:00 am), only 5 seals for 3 boxes.
PS 137, Centru, Chișinău. Seals are missing, initially there were 6 seals for 3 ballot boxes: 2 stationary and 1 mobile. Only one ballot box from the polling station and one mobile ballot box are sealed. The EOPS chairman contacted someone to bring in the seals.
PS 180, Ciocana, Chișinău. Stationary ballot boxes sealed with fewer seals, the mobile ballot box sealed with one fastener.
SV.108, Buiucani, Chișinău. Stationary ballot boxes sealed with fewer seals.
Deficient operation of SAIS “Elections” (suspended functionalities; situations when SAIS “Elections” states that the voted had voted, but the latter claims he had not) – 6 cases.
PS 54, Botanica, Chișinău. The operation system failed. They called the technical team and solved the issue.
Errors in the lists of voters – 1 case
PS 260, Cricova, Chișinău. One voter came to the polling station; when signing in the lists of voters he noticed the name of his diseased wife.
Taking a picture of the ballot papers – 1 case
PS 29. Botanica, Chișinău. A voter took the picture of a ballot paper. The police was notified.
During 4 October – 1 November 2017, the Promo-LEX Observation Mission for the local referendum on the dismissal of Chișinău General Mayor is monitoring the electoral process in the Chișinău constituency with the help of five long-term observers, one medium-term observer and one regional coordinator. On the election day, Promo-LEX delegated a short-term observer in each polling station of the constituency. The observers involved in the monitoring process signed the Code of Conduct of the Promo-LEX Independent National Observer, assuming the commitment to act efficiently, in good faith and in a non-partisan manner. The activity of all the observers is coordinated by the central team of the Association.
The activity of Promo-LEX OM is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The opinions presented in the public reports of Promo-LEX belong to authors and do not necessarily reflect the donors’ view.
For more details, please contact:
Emil Gaitur, Communication Officer of Promo-LEX Election Observation Mission – tel.: +37369172642; email: [email protected]
Axenia Chirilov, Communication Officer of Promo-LEX Election Observation Mission – tel.: 060168314; e-mail: [email protected]