Chief election commissioner Ilirjan Celibashi explained how the voting will take place in the April 25 elections in Albania.
During a press conference on Monday, Celibashi announced that “the content of the ballot paper has been resolved and we have its final version”.
The ballot paper is considered valid when the voter completes it as follows:
- Candidates for MP will be identified by numbers, according to the order sent by the Political Party or political coalition.
- Voters need to know the number of the candidate and political party that they want to vote for.
- To assist voters in each polling station, the CEC will provide leaflets in each booth which provide the information on which candidate has which number. Voters can refer to this throughout the process.
- A voter can choose the party or coalition and only ONE candidate of the coalition or party.
- The voter cannot elect a party or a coalition and a candidate outside that party or coalition.
- The voter has the right to choose only the party, without choosing the candidate.
- The voter can choose only one candidate, without choosing the political party or coalition. The vote will count as one vote for the candidate and for the political party or coalition to which this candidate belongs.
- The voter cannot choose two candidates or two political parties.
- The ballot paper will be the same in all constituencies.
“The political parties, candidates and institutions should work in order to guarantee a calm election campaign, which gives the voters the opportunity to be freely informed about political and electoral offers and decide on the party or candidate by their free will” according to CEC.
Celibashi reminded the political parties that “We are all monitored. The standard of this election is related directly with the European Integration process”.
The Slovenian company who have been tasked with producing the ballot have told the CEC that they may struggle to meet the deadline. CETIS stated that there are “some limits regarding the process” and there are problems that may arise due to the new format.
They said it will be “mission impossible” to deliver the 3.6 million ballots in ten days between 12 April and 22 April.
The process of printing usually takes 14 days but with the new changes and design, it could take up to 20 plus an additional two to send them to the CEC. If the design was submitted today, it would mean they would be delivered on 27th April, two days after the election is due to take place.
