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May 20, 2018

Time: 19:30

Promo-LEX Observation Mission finds,

Restricted access or obstruction of a free observation process in the polling station – 1 case.
PS 1/190 Chisinau. The Promo-LEX observer is intimidated by another observer, representing an election contender, who watches her by making video shootings and taking pictures.

Presence of advertising materials, posters, election boards within the area of the polling station (100 meters within the PS) – 1 case.
PS 2/10 Balti. Two cars with the emblem of an election contender, were parked for 30-40 minutes within 100 meters of the PS.

Ballot boxes have not been sealed as provided by the legal procedures – 3 cases of ballot boxes with broken/ damaged or missing seals.
PS 1/165 Chisinau. 3 stationary ballot boxes have only 1 seal each. The PS received a total of  5 seals, of which 4 were used (including  the mobile box) and one was deposited by the president of the EBPS.
PS 1/54 Chisinau. There are 2 sealed stationary ballot boxes with 2 seals each in the PS.
PS 1/283 Chisinau. Stationary ballot boxes were sealed with 2 seals each.

Unjustified presence of unauthorized persons in the polling station, or within 50 meters of the polling station – 6 cases
PS 2/39, Balti. An unauthorized person discussed in the PS with an observer and a representative with the right to consultative vote, representing an election contender. The Promo-LEX observer reported this fact to the president of the PS, who spoke to the above person. The citizen left the PS with one of the two observers.
PS 1/205 Chisinau. A voter, supposedly an MP representing the party of an election contender, came to the PS to check how the voting process was taking place. His unauthorized stay in the PS lasted from 15.40 to 15.50. At the request of the EBPS president, he left the PS.
PS 1/270 (1/271), Chisinau. An MP, representing the party of an election contender, spent 10 minutes in the PS. Throughout this period, he discussed with voters and observers of the contender, he was supporting.
PS 1/284 Chisinau. An MP was seen twice around the PS. In the first case, he was seen at around 2.00 p.m. within 50 m of the PS, talking (about 15 minutes) to some people, then at around 5p.m., talking to another person for 10-25 minutes.
PS 1/236 Chisinau. Two unauthorized persons, one of whom is an MP, representing the party of an election contender, entered the PS. They discussed with party observers for 5-7 minutes.
PS 1/17 Chisinau. An observer representing an election contender stood beside the ballot box. The PS president said he did not have to stay in that place. The observer disagreed with the president and called the representatives of the contender, who delegated him. An MP came from that faction and called the PS president for a discussion. The details of the discussion are not known.

Electioneering  or bad PR within / or near the polling station to determine voters’ choice – 3 cases.
PS 1/278, Chisinau. Two voters, being inside the PS, consulted each other about the candidate they were going to vote for. One recommended the other to vote for a particular candidate, so it was heard by all those present in the PS.
PS 2/55, Balti. There were two voters in the PS, who were discussing the candidate they were going to vote for. The discussion was heard by all those present in the PS.
PS 2/3, Balti. A woman campaigned for a contender. Someone called the police, who came and said they would draw up a record. The woman left the PS.

Organized transportation of voters (buses, minibuses, or other transport units that would normally not be in the vicinity of the PS) – 2 cases.
PS 16/42 Jora de Mijloc. Several people, supporting a contender, were seen within 30 m of the PS. They drove a blue Opel with the registration number OR BK 056. They brought voters to the polling station and verified them before entering the section.
PS 16/43, Jora de Mijloc. Two cars brought voters to the PS, it was a Nissan with the registration number Orhei BM216 and a Volkswagen Golf, of red color. It is not known what election contender they are representing.

Deficiencies in the functioning of SIAS Elections (State Automated Information System) (suspension of operation, situations when SIAS Elections indicates that the voters voted, while they claim they did not) – 2 cases
PS 1/27, Chisinau. An operator announced that SIAS Elections system stopped functioning on his computer. Only one computer was working. After about 15 minutes, the system started working again.
PS 1/295 Chisinau. The SIAS Elections system showed with respect to a person that she had already voted, but the woman demonstrated that she did not participate in the voting (she presented the identity card and the basic voters’ lists did not mention that she voted). Respectively, the president allowed her to vote.
PS 1/247 Chisinau. When a voter came to the PS to exercise his right to vote, the SIAS Elections system identified the voter as having already voted. The EBPS drew up a report that allowed the voter to be included in the supplementary voters’ lists (having checked the basic voters’ lists, it was found that someone had previously signed on behalf of that person).

Faults in the voters’ lists (address discrepancies, deceased voters, signatures made instead of other people) – 27 cases.
PS 1/54 Chisinau. The voter was not on the basic list, but his name was in the SIAS Elections system. The president decided to include the person in the supplementary list.
PS 1/152 Chisinau. A voter noted on the list the name of a citizen that deceased in 2002. The president said there was no death certificate and a prior request should have been submitted in this respect prior to the day of elections.
PS 1/45 Chisinau. A voter identified two diseased  persons on the voters’ lists.
PS 1/106 Chisinau. A voter noticed that an unknown person is registered at his address, he wrote the phrase “He does not live at this address” next to the name of that person.
PS 1/51 Chisinau. A voter saw on the voters’ lists that an unknown person is registered at his address.
PS 1/152 Chisinau. A voter noticed that an unknown person is domiciled at his address.
PS 1/98 Chisinau. Two voters (the Lungu family) found on the voters’ lists two people, who are domiciled at their address (Alba Iulia St.).
PS 1/144 Chisinau. A woman wrote an appeal to the CEC, stating that there were voters registered at her address, who did not actually live there.
PS 1/152 Chisinau. The voters state that  the former owners of their apartment continue (for many years) to appear on the basic voters’ lists, even if they are not officially domiciled at their address (13 Vanatorilor St.).
PS 1/54 Chisinau. The voter was neither on the list, nor in SIAS Elections system. The president of the PS included the voter in the supplementary lists.
PS 1/79 Chisinau. Two voters were not on the basic voters’ lists, even if they presented identity cards proving they are domiciled within the respective PS. They were allowed to vote on the supplementary lists.
PS 1/278 Chisinau. A voter says his daughter changed her domicile 16 years ago, but still remained on the basic voters’ lists.
PS 1/132 Chisinau. A voter found the name of a person, who deceased 20 years ago, on the voters’ lists.
PS 1/233 Chisinau. Two voters (a family) found on the basic voters’ lists two people, who are registered at the same place of residence (de facto, they have not lived there for about 10 years). The voters filed an appeal.

PS 1/54 Chisinau. A voter did not find his name either in the SIAS Elections system, nor on the basic voters’ lists. The president of the EBPS allowed him to vote on the supplementary lists.
PS 1/136 Chisinau. A voter noticed on the voters’ lists a foreign person, registered at his address.
PS 2/17 Balti. A voter identified on the voters’ lists the name of her husband, who died 20 years ago.
PS 1/54 Chisinau. A voter was not identified in SIAS Elections, nor was he included in the basic voters’ lists, even if he demonstrated on the basis of his ID that he is domiciled within the area of the PS. The voter voted on the supplementary lists.
PS 1/140 Chisinau. A voter found that a person, who had been deceased for many years, is on the voters’ lists.
PS 1/153 Chisinau. A voter was not identified in the SIAS Elections system, neither was he included in the basic voters’ lists, even if he demonstrated on the basis of his identity card that he is domiciled within the area of the PS. The voter voted on supplementary lists.
PS 1/87 Chisinau. A voter, who voted in the previous elections only in this PS, did not find his name in the basic voters’ lists. The voter wanted to write an appeal, but the PS president did not allow him, claiming he had to write a complaint to the CEC.
PS 1/138 Chisinau. A voter identified a foreign person, registered at his address. Although the person had not lived there for many years, he was still on the basic voters’ lists.
PS 1/80 Chisinau. Some voters found that the voters’ lists included names of the former owners of their flat and are registered at the same address. They are trying to solve this problem already the 3rd year, but in vain.
PS 1/151 Chisinau. A voter noted that 2 unknown peorsons are registered at his address. The voter was indignant and filed an appeal.
PS 1/302, Chisinau. A voter identified on the basic voters’ lists  2 foreign persons registered at his address.
PS 1/159 Chisinau. A voter noted that his former home owner was also registered at his address despite the fact that he died 7 years ago.
PS1/139 Chisinau. Two persons, with their residence places within the PS, were not on the basic voters’ lists. They voted and were included in the supplementary voters’ lists.

Taking photos of voting ballots – 13 cases.
PS 1/158 Chisinau. A voter took a photo of the ballot, the EBPS members noticed it and called the police, the photo was deleted.
PS 16/41 Jora de Mijloc. A voter, while being in the voting booth, photographed the ballot.  The EBPS president noticed this moment and asked to delete the picture. The voter deleted the photo.

PS 1/140 Chisinau. A voter photographed the ballot. He complied with the request of EBPS members to delete the picture.
PS 1/127 Chisinau. A voter photographed his ballot. At the request of the EBPS members, the photo was  deleted.
PS 1/206 Chisinau. A voter photographed the ballot in the voting booth. The fact  was noticed, but no one said anything.
PS 1/206 Chisinau. While being in the voting booth, a voter photographed the ballot.  The president of the PS noted this and asked to delete the photo. The image was deleted by the voter.
PS 1/103 Chisinau. A man voted, then photographed his ballot. EBPS members commented on this fact, but he left without deleting the photo.
PS 2/13 Balti. A voter photographed the ballot. He was noticed, but he did not want to delete the picture, saying the photo should be shown to his boss at the workplace. The man became aggressive, and police had to intervene.
PS 1/230, Chisinau. A voter photographed his ballot. EBPS members did not react to observers’ remarks.
PS 1/175 Chisinau. A voter photographed his ballot, the EBPS president noticed it, the picture was deleted.
PS 1/217 Chisinau. A voter went to the voting booth and photographed his ballot. An EBPS member noticed this moment and asked to delete the picture. The voter  did so and then left.
PS 1/102 Chisinau. A voter photographed his ballot. He did not comply with the request of EBPS members to delete the picture.
PS 1/299 Chisinau. A voter attempted to photograph the ballot. Given that he was noticed, the attempt failed.

Irregular voting at the place of domicile – 3 cases.
PS 1/54 Chisinau. A voter requested to vote at the domicile for health reasons. He did not write a request in this respect. The mobile ballot box  was to go to his place at 3.00 p.m., following the verbal request of the social worker.
PS 1/138 Chisinau. On the day of voting, there were 8 voting requests in the respective PS. The EBPS members, who left the mobile ballot box took 10 ballots but returned only 1 unused ballot, as 9 people voted, including an elderly person, who had not previously applied for voting at the place of residence.
PS 1/197 Chisinau. Several requests were made by voters with visual deficiencies, who needed special equipment to vote, the equipment was missing in the polling station. Finally, they voted, but encountered difficulties.

Others
PS 1/297 Chisinau. The minutes of the PS opening process were not introduced in the ballot box at the opening of the PS. This was noticed by the observers, who were inside the PS. The president of the PS said it was because everyone was in a hurry and forgot to introduce it into the box. At the moment, the minutes are in a folder with other documents, held by the EBPS president.
PS 1 / 212 Chisinau. A voter (who is ill) was brought by car. He could not enter the polling station. The president decided to take the voters’ lists where the man’s name was included, took a ballot and the mobile box with her and left the PS, heading for the voter. The man voted. The observers of an election contender filed an appeal against this case.
PS 1/54 Chisinau. The electricity was disconnected, but one of the computers worked, being charged by a generator.

The Promo-LEX observation mission of the new local elections of May 20, 2018 monitors the elections through 8 long-term observers (LTOs) in the seven constituencies established. On the day of the elections, Promo-LEX delegated a short-term observer to each polling station in the constituency. Observers involved in the monitoring process signed the Promo-LEX Independent National Observatory’s Code of Conduct, committing themselves to act promptly, in good faith and in a non-partisan manner. The activity of all the observers is coordinated by the central team of the Association.

The activity of Promo-LEX OM is supported financially by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The opinions expressed in the Promo-LEX public reports belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funders.

For more details, please contact:
Axenia Chirilov, Communications Officer of Promo-LEX Association;
GSM 060168314, e-mail: [email protected]