Rules for the registration of voters outside Albania

2024-10-24 18:31:33, Kosova & Bota CNA

In Tirana, the Regulatory Commission of the CEC approved the rules on the registration of voters from outside Albania and on the preparation of the list of voters abroad. This is the first time that the participation in elections of Albanian citizens, who live or are abroad on the day of voting, is enabled. It is unofficially estimated that nearly 1/3 of the voters on the electoral lists are emigrating, or live and study outside Albania.

In the decision of the CEC Regulator, it is stated that every Albanian citizen with the right to vote who is abroad on the date of the elections and who wants to exercise the right to vote in the elections for the Assembly from where he is, must be registered in the list of voters. abroad.

He must do this registration in the list of voters abroad of his own free will, fulfilling legal conditions as a voter from outside the territory of Albania. As soon as he is registered in the list of voters abroad, the decision states, then he is deregistered from the list of voters who vote inside the country.

The registration of voters who vote from abroad is carried out by the CEC. The voter must submit an individual request to be included in the list of voters from abroad at the CEC from four months before the election date to two months before this date.

To make this request, the voter must open a free account on the Electronic Registration Platform, which is created by the CEC, and which can be downloaded to mobile phones and computers.

On this platform, the voter must upload their personal identification number, birthday and place of birth, photo, email and phone number. While in order to be registered in the list of voters from abroad, he must upload an Albanian passport and a document proving his stay abroad, as well as the address and number of the apartment, with the country, postal code, city, the road.

The CEC approves or rejects the request within five days and after the clarifications, the person is added to the list of voters from abroad. This list is published two months before the date of the elections and it is expected to be used with updates in every pair of future elections for the Assembly.

The list of voters from abroad contains: the name of the electoral district, the type and date of the elections.

This is the first time that the Albanian state creates the opportunity to vote for those citizens who live or are abroad on the date of the elections. The CEC has promised transparency and simplicity of the process, effectiveness, inclusiveness and equal opportunities, as well as the secrecy of the vote, security and protection of the vote of Albanian citizens abroad.

The guarantee of this constitutional right in practice, according to experts, became even more necessary due to the fact that a significant number of citizens, who are on the electoral lists, are emigrating, living and studying abroad, while at the end of the electoral processes they formally result as if they refused or boycotted the vote.

It is unofficially estimated by observers that this part of citizens who do not participate in the elections due to emigration and life abroad, goes up to 1/3 of the general list of voters./ VOA