MINSK, 31 January (BelTA) – In the latest episode of BelTA’s project “The Nation Speaks” Chairman of the Minsk City Election Commission Aleksandr Shchekovich explained how lists of out-of-constituency voters were compiled.
“There were no big problems with compiling voter lists in Minsk. All kinds of things happen in life: some people de-register, some register. Information came from various sources, including from the housing and utilities system, OGIM [Citizenship and Migration Department] offices. Those who have rental agreements had no problems with being included in the lists,” Aleksandr Shchekovich said.
At the same time, many people asked why they were not allowed to vote in the city where you work upon presenting a certificate from work? In fact, it is not that simple. “If a company has three employees, but claims to have 115, how will we check it? How can we be sure that such a company exists whatsoever? Many questions arise here. We need to make sure that a person will not go to 15 polling stations with such a certificate,” Aleksandr Shchekovich clarified.
Andrei Belyakov, Head of the Center for Public Relations and Electoral Process of the Academy of Public Administration under the Aegis of the President of Belarus, member of the Scientific and Expert Council at the Central Election Commission of Belarus, added that many countries are introducing such measures to avoid double voting. “What if a person has two or three jobs? It means that this person can vote in two or three places, and it is not possible to find out or establish where exactly. Therefore, such voting is not allowed by the electoral legislation of our country. By the way, like in many other countries, [voter lists are linked] to the population register run by our OGIM offices, and if questions arise, we can contact them, and they will give us comprehensive information. And this mechanism is available in a number of countries. Double voting carries a very serious punishment. Not only large fines, but sometimes imprisonment, since this directly affects the basic principles of elections, like secret ballot and freedom of voting,” he explained.
“Therefore, the mechanism that is currently in place, in my opinion, is an efficient way to prevent violations. It needs to be improved, though. Perhaps we will consider allowing voters to cast their ballot in a polling station outside their constituency on the main voting day. This matter will be dealt with in the next few years. But I do not think we should make dramatic changes here,” added Andrei Belyakov.
According to representative of the Public Election Observation Center Aleksandr Ivanenko, more than 200 requests were received by the center regarding voting outside the constituency. At the same time, he recalled that since 10 January, voters had the opportunity to come and put themselves on the voting list if they could present the necessary documents confirming their residence in a specific region.
“There were no big problems with compiling voter lists in Minsk. All kinds of things happen in life: some people de-register, some register. Information came from various sources, including from the housing and utilities system, OGIM [Citizenship and Migration Department] offices. Those who have rental agreements had no problems with being included in the lists,” Aleksandr Shchekovich said.
At the same time, many people asked why they were not allowed to vote in the city where you work upon presenting a certificate from work? In fact, it is not that simple. “If a company has three employees, but claims to have 115, how will we check it? How can we be sure that such a company exists whatsoever? Many questions arise here. We need to make sure that a person will not go to 15 polling stations with such a certificate,” Aleksandr Shchekovich clarified.
Andrei Belyakov, Head of the Center for Public Relations and Electoral Process of the Academy of Public Administration under the Aegis of the President of Belarus, member of the Scientific and Expert Council at the Central Election Commission of Belarus, added that many countries are introducing such measures to avoid double voting. “What if a person has two or three jobs? It means that this person can vote in two or three places, and it is not possible to find out or establish where exactly. Therefore, such voting is not allowed by the electoral legislation of our country. By the way, like in many other countries, [voter lists are linked] to the population register run by our OGIM offices, and if questions arise, we can contact them, and they will give us comprehensive information. And this mechanism is available in a number of countries. Double voting carries a very serious punishment. Not only large fines, but sometimes imprisonment, since this directly affects the basic principles of elections, like secret ballot and freedom of voting,” he explained.
“Therefore, the mechanism that is currently in place, in my opinion, is an efficient way to prevent violations. It needs to be improved, though. Perhaps we will consider allowing voters to cast their ballot in a polling station outside their constituency on the main voting day. This matter will be dealt with in the next few years. But I do not think we should make dramatic changes here,” added Andrei Belyakov.
According to representative of the Public Election Observation Center Aleksandr Ivanenko, more than 200 requests were received by the center regarding voting outside the constituency. At the same time, he recalled that since 10 January, voters had the opportunity to come and put themselves on the voting list if they could present the necessary documents confirming their residence in a specific region.
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