Until 22:00, the Promo-LEX OM received and processed 118 incidents, of which 56 are included in this release.
Intimidation of observers, obstruction of the free observation – 4 cases:
PS 2/59 Balti, Elizaveta. The Promo-LEX observer was intimidated by the PEB president, following a report of the group voting incident at 12:30. The PEB president mentioned: “I expected surprises from the Promo-LEX, but not so much.”
PS 2/41 Balti. After the Promo-LEX observer asked the PEB members why the voting booths were dismantled before the polling station closed, the president reacted aggressively, having commented: “We stay in a cold place and you don’t take this into account!” And why is the Promo-LEX not informed about the conditions in the PS?”. At the same time, the PEB members did not react aggressively to the observations made by the representatives of the electoral competitors.
PS 2/58 Balti. At 21:12, the representative of an electoral competitor informed the PEB president about the desire to shoot the process of counting the ballot papers. The president forbade him for the reason of “not wanting to be captured”, but the representative insisted on shooting. After consultation with DEC II representatives, the president allowed the shooting provided that the faces of the PEB members would not be shot.
PS 2/22 Balti. The representative of an electoral competitor requested to shoot the process of counting the ballot papers. The president allowed him to shoot, but moved him to a distance of about 5 meters.
Unjustified presence of unauthorized persons in the polling station or within 100 m – 19 cases:
PS 23/38 Nisporeni, Varzaresti. Within 100 m of the PS, the means of transport of both candidates were observed repeatedly (the 3rd time). They were not observed interacting with voters, only with each other. One of the cars was a Nissan, metallic gray in color.
PS 34/14 Telenesti, Chitcanii Vechi. At 14:24, an unauthorized person was observed at the PS entrance urging a voter to vote for a particular candidate. The PEB president was notified and he informed the unauthorized person that he was not allowed to influence the voter’s vote. Later, the unauthorized person, who could not be identified, left.
PS 15/3 Dubasari, Corjova. At around 15:50, three women were observed within 100 m of the PS (observed also during round 1). The women were also present in the first part of the day (the blue car). They interacted with certain voters and were always on the phone.
PS 4/22 Anenii Noi, Floreni. During the observation (about 30 minutes), the mobile team found that a candidate was stationed in the immediate vicinity of the polling station in a personal car.
PS 22/20 Leova, Ceadir. In the immediate vicinity of the PEB, a car with the former mayor of the locality and a candidate was observed. The STO stated that he saw at least two voters who entered the minibus for a few minutes and then got out. The police warned them and they left the place.
PS 17/18 Falesti, Ciolacu Vechi. The candidate for the position of mayor appeared in front of the PEB without a justified reason, having discussed with the citizens. The candidate was not a resident of Ciolacul Vechi village.
PS 01/259, Chisinau, Durlesti. An Audi car was parked near the PS, which has been monitoring the voters coming to vote since the morning, the PEB president approached the car, talked to the person inside for 5-7 minutes, but the car did not leave.
PS 01/254, Chisinau, Durlesti. Within 100 meters of the PS, a car was parked for a long time. There were two women inside, who were constantly talking on the phone. They were gone for a short time, but they came back.
PS 01/255, Chisinau, Durlesti. Near the entrance to the PS yard, a car stationed for a long time (Renault). The person in the car was behaving suspiciously.
PS 01/257, Chisinau, Durlesti. At 19:05, a red Mazda car was observed supervising the PS. When the persons in the car understood that they were observed, they left. The said car was seen during the day and around other PSs in Durlesti.
PS 01/255, Chisinau, Durlesti. An Audi car stayed near the PS for a long time (about 50 minutes), after which the previously reported Renault car returned. From the Renault, a person got into the Audi. The individuals were identified as advisers to a competitor.
PS 2/49 Balti. Starting at 19:00, the secretary from another polling station was present in the PS (PS 2/5). She periodically entered the office where the safe with ballot papers of the PS 2/49 was located. The president of the PS 2/49 explained that the secretary of the PS 2/5 was an employee of the educational institution where PS 2/49 was located and needed access to the office.
PS 28/51 Singerei, Pepeni. A Suzuki car parked within 100 m of the polling station was observed over a longer period of time.
PS 01/257, Chisinau, Durlesti. There was a car parked in front of the PS, in which there were 2 persons. During the day, they came and went, stayed for about 30 minutes, then left. At 19:40, the PEB president asked them “what was the reason why they returned to the PS, and that their presence was suspicious”. One of the persons replied ironically: “We are waiting for a relative to come, don’t worry – we are not campaigning”.
PS 01/254, Chisinau, Durlesti. A person periodically returned to the PS and talked with the PS president. He was in the station for 28 minutes, from 18:35 to 18:58. He left and returned at 20:20, waited for a voter to vote, then left. During the day, he entered the PS several times. He drove a Toyota car.
PS 01/255, Chisinau, Durlesti. A car transporting voters was observed several times around the PS. The PEB president was notified, after which the policeman was informed, and, at the request of the policeman, the person left the PS.
PS 28/51 Singerei, Pepeni. A candidate for the position of mayor was in the premises of the polling station without authorization, he created conflict situations. He was located near the polling station starting at 13:00.
PS 01/258, Chisinau, Durlesti. Outside the PS, between 20:10 and 20:38, the Audi car was observed within 100 meters of the PS. That means of transport was also observed periodically within the radius of other PSs in Durlesti.
PS 11/17 Cimislia, Ciucur– Mingir. Several unauthorized persons were in the premises of the house of culture, where the polling station was located. After the PEB president’s observation, they left.
Violation of voting secrecy (photographing the ballot papers, presenting the ballot paper with the cast vote, faulty location of the voting booths that allow the voter’s option to be viewed, etc.) – 11 cases:
PS 26/33 Rezina, Buciusca. A PEB member wrote the nominal list of voters in a notebook. The list was drawn up by the representative of the Socialist Party of the Republic of Moldova, who left the section, having asked the PEB member to continue writing down the surnames/names of the voters in his place.
PS 12/7 Criuleni, Malaiesti Noi. At 14:42, a voter was observed by a competitor’s representative photographing the ballot paper. An observation was made to the voter, he said he deleted the picture.
PS 4/34 Anenii Noi, Speia. A voter took a photo of the ballot paper. As a result, the PEB president canceled the ballot paper, by unanimous vote of the PEB members, and inserted it into the ballot box.
PS 17/10 Falesti, Bocani. At 15:27, a voter took a photo of the ballot paper. At the request of the PEB members, the photo was deleted. No sanctions were applied.
PS 23/1 Nisporeni, Nisporeni. The voter took a photo of the ballot paper after applying the Voted stamp, and the PEB president who noticed that notified the police. A report regarding the contravention was drawn up for the voter in question.
PS 11/33 Cimislia, Lipoveni. A voter took a photo of his ballot paper. He was not punished and was allowed to go.
PS 01/257, Chisinau, Durlesti. A voter, after casting her vote, approached the table of the PEB members and showed the ballot paper with the applied option, asking if “it was visible?” The PEB members confirmed that the vote was visible, after which the ballot paper was inserted into the ballot box, and the voter left the PS.
PS 01/258, Chisinau, Durlesti. A voter took a photo of the ballot paper after expressing his option of voting. At the insistence of the PEB members, the picture was deleted.
PS 2/11 Balti. At 18:16, a voter took a photo of the ballot paper. The PEB secretary made an observation and requested the deletion of the photo. The voter deleted the photo, then voted and left the PS.
PS 2/11 Balti. At 16:43, a voter took a photo of the ballot paper. That was noticed by the PEB members, who made an observation.
PS 01/267, Chisinau, Vadul lui Voda. A drunken voter entered the PS and, after voting, took a photo of the ballot paper. The intervention of the police was needed to resolve the situation described.
Discontinuation of the shooting of electoral operations during the voting day – 3 cases:
PS 27/27 Riscani, Malinovscoe. At the time of the visit, at 15:40, the observers noticed that the video camera was not recording the voting process. The PEB members do not draw attention to that. It was not known when the camera stopped recording.
PS 25/70 Orhei, Mana. While the mobile team was in the PS premises (20 minutes), the shooting process was interrupted. The SAIS Elections operators have communicated that the video camera had technical problems.
PS 35/29 Ungheni, Bulhac. The video camera had technical problems. It got turned off every 2 minutes. The PEB members turned it on only when voters came to vote.
Deficiencies in voters’ lists (address discrepancies, deceased voters, signatures instead of others) – 3 cases:
PS 18/24 Floresti, Tipordei. The voter was not found in the polling station lists according to his residence. He was allowed to vote, having been included in the supplementary lists.
PS 01/248, Chisinau, Codru. A voter signed mistakenly the voters’ lists instead of another voter. At the request of the PEB president, he submitted a statement on own responsibility that he had signed for another person by mistake.
PS 01/255, Chisinau, Durlesti. A person with the address in the identity card assigned to the respective PS, would have had the address in Briceni according to SAIS Elections. The voter was directed to DEC I Durlesti to clarify whether she can vote in Durlesti.
Deficiencies in the functioning of the SAIS Elections System (suspension of operation, situations when SAIS Elections System indicates that the voter voted, and s/he claims not to) – 2 cases:
PS 2/22 Balti. At approximately 14:50, following checks in SIAS Elections, 2 voters were not identified in the system. However, taking into account the fact that their domicile was within the territorial radius of the polling station, with the consent of the PEB president, the voters were included in the supplementary voters’ lists.
PS 01/255, Chisinau, Durlesti. At 16:30, the power went off in the PS premises. The problem was resolved immediately and the electricity was reconnected. However, that case disrupted the activity of SAIS Elections, as it was not possible to be accessed by operators for about 5-10 minutes, after which functionality was restored.
Organized transportation of voters (buses, minibuses, or other transport units that would normally not be around the polling station) – 5 cases:
PS 25/23 Orhei, Chiperceni. A car bringing voters to the polling station in an organized manner was observed (3 times). According to the car driver, he brought the parents, and then the grandfather. Upon exiting the PS, the voter (the “grandfather”) was asked by the Promo-LEX observer who he came with to vote. The voter stated that he did not know the driver.
PS 15/3 Dubasari, Corjova. At 16:06, a car (Lexus, gray in color) transporting voters was observed (for the second time) within 100 m of the PS.
PS 15/3 Dubasari, Corjova. At 18:20, within 100 m of the PS, a car transporting voters in an organized manner was observed (already for the third time).
PS 4/15 Anenii Noi, Chirca. Organized transport of voters by a candidate to the polling station. The candidate was in close proximity to the polling station.
PS 15/3 Dubasari, Corjova. The candidate for mayor was transporting voters to the polling station. The police was noticed, the electoral competitor was taken to the police station and documented.
Presence of advertising materials, posters, electoral boards within the radius of the polling station (100 meters from the station) – 1 case:
PS 4/37 Anenii Noi, Tintareni The presence of a competitor’s electoral poster near the PS.
Unjustified group voting (two or more voters) – 3 cases.
PS 11/40 Cimislia, Satul Nou. Two voters voted together in the voting booth without any justifiable reason.
PS 01/258, Chisinau, Durlesti. Two voters tried to vote simultaneously in the same voting booth. However, at the intervention of the PEB members, they separated.
PS 2/11 Balti. At 16:02, two persons entered the PS, who stayed in a voting booth for 1 minute, later they voted in different booths. The PEB members did not react to that case.
Incidents in the process of closing the PS and counting the votes – 1 case:
PS 2/41 Balti. At 20:30, the PEB members, at the initiative of the President, dismantled 2 voting booths, out of the 3 present ones. They motivated the decision by wishing to get free earlier. Likewise, the PEB president came up with the initiative to start the process of canceling unused ballot papers. The representative of a competitor criticized that initiative, to which the president replied that they would start the procedure after 21:00.
Ballot boxes were not sealed according to legal procedures/ broken/damaged or missing seals on ballot boxes – 2 cases:
PS 18/3 Floresti, Floresti. Stationary ballot boxes were sealed with only three seals. The PEB president stated that he did not receive enough seals for all ballot boxes.
PS 29/43 Soroca, Voloave. The mobile ballot box was not sealed according to legal procedures.
Others – 2 cases:
PS 2/1 Balti. At 14:20, a voter tore up the ballot paper, after he had actually voted, having reasoned that he got confused. The PEB president collected the torn fragments of the ballot paper to document the case, as possible evidence, and called the police.
PS 2/48 Balti. Until 15:26, there were 3 subsequent power cutoffs in the PS, lasting 5 min and with intervals of 10 min. The cutoffs did not affect voting.
The release is drafted within the Observation Mission for the General Local Elections of 5 (19) November 2023, carried out by the Promo-LEX Association with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Program “Democracy, Transparency and Responsibility” and of the European Union through the Project “Strengthening the electoral legislative framework and assessing its implementation during the general local elections in 2023”.
The opinions expressed in the reports and public releases of the Promo-LEX OM belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the point of view of financiers or partners. The content hereof may be subject to editorial revisions.
In case of discrepancies between the text in Romanian and its translation into another language, the provisions established by the Romanian text prevail.