November 3, 2019
Time: 7.30 pm
The Promo-LEX Observation Mission for the general local and new parliamentary elections of October 20 (November 3) 2019 informs that by 6.30 pm it received from its observers 136 incident reports. The present press release includes 48 incidents processed by the central team of Promo-LEX Mission between 1.30 and 6.30 pm.
In the context of the second round of general local elections, the Promo-LEX Observation Mission finds:
Presence of advertising materials, posters, electoral panels within the polling station (100 meters from the polling station) – 4 cases.
- PS 30/30, Straseni, Negrești. Electoral posters of competitors have been seen within 100 m from PS.
- PS 32/8, Stefan Voda, Carahasani. Electoral posters of a competitor have been seen at a distance of about 50 m from the PS.
- PS 14/14 Drochia, Macareuca. A3 electoral posters of a competitor have been posted at a distance of 80 meters from the PS.
- PS1 / 287 Chisinau, Bubuieci. Electoral posters of a competitor appeared on the pillars near the PS. An observer claims that in the morning, they were not there.
Unjustified presence of unauthorized persons in the PS or within 100 m from it – 10 cases.
- PS 1/273, Chisinau, Singera. About 10-13 people are standing in front of a stall, located at a distance of 50-60 m from the PS, having hot drinks. A formal mayoral candidate is one of the group.
- PS 23/31 Nisporeni, Seliste. A group of 8 persons – representatives of a competitor are standing within 100 m from the PS, discussing with almost every voter.
- PS 34/44 Telenesti, Verejeni. At 13.55, the mayoral candidate spent at least 30 min. communicating with voters at a distance of about 50 m from the PS.
- PS 14/9 Drochia, Baroncea. At 2.57 pm, a mayoral candidate spent at least 30 min. in front of the polling station.
- PS 16/39 Edineț, Lopatnic. The president of the territorial organization of a party was discussing with a person for 20 min. at a distance of 20 meters from the polling station. Having noticed that he was monitored by the observer, he got into the car and left.
- PS 16/34 Edineț, Gordinești. At 3.59 pm, some unauthorized persons stood for about 30 min. at a distance of 15 meters from the polling station.
- PS 24/6 Ocnita, Otaci. At 16.47, an unauthorized person stood for about 10 min. at a distance of 20 meters from the polling station. A PEB member approached this person and took a bag with unidentified content.
- PS 1/67 Chisinau, Buiucani District. The PEB driver was in the PS in the morning. He participated in the sealing of ballot boxes and other activities of the PEB. When the STO requested explanations from the PEB president, he replied that the driver has the right to be present and help PEB members.
- PS 34/30 Telenesti, Negureni. The candidates for the mayor’s office of Negureni have monitored the voter turnout all day from a distance of about 70 m.
- PS 1/282 Chisinau, Bacioi. The STO reports that two cars (gray and black) were parked at a distance of 3-5 meters from the PS. The STO mentions that he noticed a person in the gray car talking to voters and saying “today you earned some money”.
Electoral or adverse campaigning within 100 m and / or in the precinct of the polling station to influence the voters’ choice – 2 cases
- PS 1/222, Chisinau, Riscani District. A voter, while waiting for his turn to vote, urged those present to vote for a certain candidate. The president and members of the PEB reprimanded him.
- PS 18/58 Floresti, Sanatauca. At 2. 35 pm, family members of a mayoral candidate were campaigning for at least 30 min. at a distance of about 80 m from the polling station.
Organized transportation of voters (coaches, minibuses or other transport units that normally would not be around the PS) -7 cases
- PS 5/2, Bessarabeasca. The sympathizers of a competitor transported elderly voters to the PS, although they initially wrote requests to vote at the place of residence. Different cars are observed every time.
- PS 5/2, Bessarabeasca. A candidate’s brother organized the transportation of Roma to the PS.
- PS 11/4, Cimislia. A candidate rented several cars that brought voters to the PS. The PS president wrote a complaint to the police requesting measures to be taken.
- PS 11/5, Cimislia. A candidate rented several cars that bring voters to the PS (each time the cars are different).
- PS 22/33, Leova, Sarata Razesi. A candidate transported on his own car 2 voters, who were removed from the record from another settlement. However, they were not allowed to vote.
- PS 16/34 Edinet, Gordinesti. At least 4 voters were transported in an organized manner by a candidate for the mayoral position on a Renault Laguna.
- PS 1/208, Chisinau, Riscani District. A black WV car, reg. no. AI 290, was noticed at least 3 times approaching the PEB premises, carrying 4-5 voters every time.
Rumors, attempts or even cases of material or monetary reward offered to voters within 100 m from the polling station to influence the voters’ choice – 4 cases.
- PS 9/41, Calarasi, Temeleuti. A councilor, representing a competitor, transported voters to the PS. After voting, they went shopping in two stores owned by one of the candidates.
- PS 30/26, Straseni, Micauţi. Representatives of a competitor offered tea and coffee at the gate of the Culture House, located at a distance of about 50 m from the PS. From the discussion with the locals, the observer found out that in the first half of the day, they gave away live fish.
- PS 30/26, Straseni, Micauţi. At a distance of 50 m from the PS, representatives of a competitor improvised a table where they offered 100 grams of alcohol to each voter.
- PS 28/54 Falesti, Pruteni. From the discussion with the locals, the observer found out that a candidate’s brother addressed the voters from the village of Pruteni, with the proposal to transport people with expired identity cards to the Multifunctional Center of the Public Services Agency to make a provisional ID and to vote for a certain competitor for the amount of 200 lei. The voters were transported on a Mercedes minibus, reg. no. C HM 691. The Falesti Police Inspectorate was notified of this. According to the information obtained, 5 persons from Pruteni asked the Falesti PSA to be issued provisional IDs.
Unjustified termination / suspension of voting in the polling station – 1 case.
PS 1/162 Chisinau, Ciocana District. At 13.58, the voting process was suspended for about 12 minutes, because there was no Internet connection and the SIAS Elections system did not work. At the moment, a network operator is in charge of settling the problem. The PEB president, called the CEC, to request help in order to solve the given problem.
Deficiencies in the operation of SIAS Elections system (suspension of operation; situations when SIAS Elections system indicates that the voter voted, and he claims not to) – 7 cases.
- PS 1/169 Chisinau, Ciocana District. While verifying the voter’s data, SIAS Elections system showed that the person voted, but he did not have the stamp “Voted” in the identity card, and in the lists, it was seen that he did not vote. Having made several phone calls to the higher electoral bodies, PEB president allowed the voter to vote.
- PS 16/34 Edinet, Gordinesti. At 2.25 pm, SIAS Elections did not work for 10-15 minutes.
- PS 27/6 Rișcani, Ramazan. At 3.40 pm, one of the computers in the PS did not work for about 40 minutes.
- PS 27/46 Rișcani, Bulhac. At 3.20 pm, one of the computers in the PS did not work for about 40 minutes.
- PS 27/33 Riscani, Pirlita. There was no Internet connection from 7:00 to 7:40 am.
- PS 1/31 Chisinau, Botanica District. On one of the two computers, the SIAS Elections system did not work because of poor Internet connection. Until 6:20 pm, the problem was not solved.
- PS 32/5, Stefan Voda, Lazo. There was no Internet connection for about 25 min. A provisional list of voters was made on a simple sheet of paper.
Deficiencies in the voters’ lists (discrepancies between addresses; deceased voters on the list; signatures instead of others) – 5 cases.
- PS 1/213, Chisinau, Riscani District. In the case of a voter, it was found that the address in the identity card did not coincide with that in the main voters’ lists. The PEB members made the changes on lists.
- PS 31/28 Soldanesti, Salcia. A voter with the right to vote within the PS was not on the main voters’ lists or in the State Registry of Voters. As soon as the PEB members contacted the CEC, the voter left without voting.
- PS 1/152 Chisinau, Center District. Several addresses were not included in the voters’ lists. In most cases, these are the addresses of new blocks. All persons who are not in the main list but are assigned to the PS, were introduced into supplementary lists.
- PS 1/280 Chisinau, Bacioi. At least seven voters were not on the voters’ lists, but they were in SIAS Elections system. They were included in the supplementary lists.
- PS 1/8 Chisinau, Botanica District. A voter noted that his identity data were incorrectly entered in the voters’ lists. The PEB president decided to correct the mistake with a pen.
Photographing of the ballot paper, other violations of the secret of voting (displaying the ballot with the vote cast, defective location of the voting booths that makes it possible to see the voter’s option, etc.) – 1 case
- PS 9/41, Calarasi, Temeleuți. A voter photographed the ballot after voting. He did not respond to the comments made by the PEB members.
Ballot boxes have not been secured in compliance with the legal procedures / broken / deteriorated or absence of seals on the ballot boxes – 2 cases.
- PS 4/22, Anenii Noi, Floreni. Of the two stationary ballot boxes present in the PS, only one was sealed.
- PS 14/13 Drochia, Cotova. Of the 4 mobile boxes present, only two are sealed and two others have not been secured.
Non-compliant use of ballot papers – 1 case.
- PS 1/237, Chisinau, Riscani District. In the polling booth, an aggressive voter tore the ballot and wanted to take it out with him, but the PEB president alerted the police. As a result, the aggressive voter left the ballot and abandoned the PS.
Other incidents – 4 cases
- PS 1/133 Chisinau, Center District. A voter voted using the accompanying sheet of another voter. PEB members identified the error, after applying the stamp “voted” on the sheet. As a result, the PEB president canceled the stamp on the sheet. The voter wrote an explanation and the case was reported to the CEC.
- PS 1/213, Chisinau, Riscani District. A voter in the polling booth said that after the repeated application of the VOTE stamp on the ballot paper, it is not visible. As a result, an observer entered the voting booth and applied the stamp for him.
- PS 31/6, Soldanesti, Chipeșca. A complaint has been filed by the representative with the right to consultative vote in the EC I, but the PEB president refused to receive and examine it. The complaint concerned electoral campaigning.
- PS 1/287 Chisinau, Bubuieci. The president and secretary of the PS allowed a voter to vote without his identity card, only with the accompanying sheet. The president explained it by the fact that there was the stamp from the first round of elections on it.
Incidents reported by citizens:
Promo-LEX OM mentions that until 6.30 pm, it received at least 15 phone calls and at least 18 messages on social networks reporting certain incidents that allegedly occurred during the election day: organized transportation of voters (7), electoral campaigning on election day ( 6 cases), bribery of voters (4), phone calls from supporters of electoral competitors urging the citizens to vote (1), etc.
We assure you that the Promo-LEX OM makes great effort to ensure a fair and efficient observation of the electoral process. However, we consider it necessary to specify that the Mission conducts its activity based on an observation methodology and the information presented in the press releases / reports must be observed directly by the Promo-LEX observers or verified on the basis of several sources. We reiterate that, only the reports of the OM, the monitors’ observations reported according to thematic templates, as well as official information, serve as sources for our reports. During the planned visits, including during the post-election period, observers analyze the information resulting from discussions, meetings with inhabitants and consultation of official documents.
Given the limited human resources, it is difficult to check all the reports received during the Election Day. Some of these have been analyzed during the election day, others will be analyzed in the coming days, the results, in case the rumors are confirmed, are to be found in the subsequent reports of the Mission.
The press release is made as part of the Observation Mission for the general local and new parliamentary elections of October 20, 2019 by the Promo-LEX Association with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the “Democracy, Transparency and Accountability” Program.
The opinions expressed in the public reports and press releases of the Promo-LEX OM belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the point of view of the funders or partners. The content of this document may be subject to editorial review.
For more details, please contact:
Inga Stegarescu, Communication Officer of the Promo-LEX Observation Mission for the general local and new parliamentary elections of October 20, 2019. GSM 069269684, e-mail: [email protected]