Voters who need a portable ballot box due to a health condition can apply today to the CEC until 18:00.
Natia Ioseliani spoke with “InterpressNews” about the expiration of the application for wheelchair voters who can vote at any polling station adapted in the district of the relevant election commission.
The spokesperson for CEC explained the criteria that must be met by anyone who wants to use a mobile ballot box. Ioseliani said that only the elderly or those with critical health conditions are not allowed to use these services.
“Voters with health problems who are unable to go to the polling stations, or those who are on the territory of the voting station but in an area that is difficult to reach, have the right vote using a portable ballot box. These voters must apply today, before 18:00, either orally, via phone or in writing. If a voter is unable vote due to a health condition, another person can vote in their place and request a portable ballot box.
The voter should be aware that if they request the use of a portable voting box and appear at the polling booth on election day, they will not be allowed to vote at the polling booth. He must wait until the portable ballot box arrives at home during the day,” Yoseliani explains.
She also said that a voter could request a portable box regardless of his health condition or if he was in a difficult to reach area, such as a mountainous terrain.
“This isn’t a new entry; it was already written into the law. This does not apply in such districts located within the capital, self governing cities, or municipal centres. However, it is possible to find yourself in such a district, such as in a mountainous area, in an inaccessible location. Yoselian said that such a practice does not exist in the city.
She also explained the criteria that a voter needs to meet in order to request a portable voting box.
“They won’t be required to submit any health certificates or anything else, just their name, surname and personal number, their address, the time the telephone message was made, if that is the case, as well as the location where they are requesting the service. A person can request delivery of moving boxes to another address within the area. A voter may be located at a different location within the precinct. If a person lives at one entrance but lives with his family in another entrance, the district boundaries should not be exceeded. If a voter is registered in Isani district, they cannot request a portable box in Vake or Saburtalo districts. The voter must wait for the portable ballot box at the address where he wants it. The portable ballot box will move around the precinct between 09:00 AM and 19:00 PM according to the addresses. It cannot reach them all at once because they have a schedule and route. Voters must wait at a certain address. I get calls frequently, I’m listed on the list for the transfer box and they haven’t yet arrived, what’s going on?
It is important that the number of voters on the single list does not exceed 3%. If the election precinct contains 3000 voters and the turnout is greater than 3%, then the precinct will provide information to the district, which will then discuss the inclusion of this type of voter in the transfer box list.
I want you to be aware that both the Precinct Election Commission members and the representatives of the electoral entity, the observers have the right to verify whether the voters listed on the portable ballot box list are in fact the ones who were listed. The list is public and based on this list, they visit specific addresses to verify that the voter in question is indeed unable to come to the polling place due to his health. We have a similar procedure if there is a reasonable question or a message.
It’s not that the person is old, but perhaps they have a broken limb, or had an operation. This makes it difficult to move. They often think that the problem is due to their age. There are some cases where voters in their 80s or 90s go to the polling station by themselves. This is the category of voters that cannot come to the voting station due to their condition.
We would like to remind you as well that the deadline to apply for voters in wheelchairs also expires today. Voters in wheelchairs have the right to vote at any polling station adapted in the operational territory the district election commission. Ioseliani stated that if they had made a decision to do so, the deadline to apply would expire today at 18:30.
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