PRINT

Promo-LEX Association launches today, 7 October 2021, the Observation Mission (OM) of New Local Elections of 21 November 2021[1]. Electoral observation will cover the electoral period and the election day (including the second round in the communities where it will be held), and will be conducted by the central team, as well as 6 long-term observers (LTOs) and 30 short-term observers (STOs), deployed at local level.

Promo-LEX Observation Mission will monitor the electoral campaign for compliance with the principles of democratic electoral processes and with the legal framework. Observers will monitor the activity of electoral bodies and other relevant institutions, the performance of electoral contenders and of political parties, including the funding of the electoral campaign. On the election day, we will monitor the opening and closing of polling stations, voting process, accessibility of offices, compliance with epidemiological rules, and ballot counting. Traditionally, Promo-LEX OM will perform the parallel vote tabulation. During this period, we will publish two press releases with the findings of Promo-LEX observers on the conduct of elections on the election day (including on the second round of election, if needed), and the monitoring outcomes and Observation Mission’s conclusions will be presented in a report.

At the same time, based on the experience of monitoring the New Local Elections of 2018 and General Local Elections of 2019, Promo-LEX reminds about some constant problematic aspects found previously and that can be repeated during these elections, as well. Thus, we draw the attention of the legislator, electoral bodies and other relevant stakeholders on the need to ensure fair conditions at the stage of collecting signatures for the position of mayor in the case of independent candidates, and on the exaggerated number of signatures that need to be collected in candidate nominating petitions in order to be registered as a contender for the election of the mayor of Balti Municipality. At the same time, we reiterate the existence of an unfair attitude towards independent women candidates to the position of mayor, compared to independent women candidates to the position of MPs. We also find lack of clear regulations on voting arrangements for citizens with domicile and residence valid on the local election day, as well as on the beginning of the electoral campaign for the second round of election.

Promo-LEX is a non-governmental organisation with the richest experience in national election monitoring. Since 2009, Promo-LEX has monitored 21 elections (local, parliamentary and presidential), involving over 16 thousand national observers. The purpose of Promo-LEX Observation Missions is to inform the public about the conduct of the campaign and to increase people’s trust in the electoral process, contributing thus to free and fair elections in line with international standards and national law.

Promo-LEX Association carries out the Observation Mission for the New Local Elections with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Democracy, Transparency and Responsibility Program.

For more information, please contact:
Elena Răileanu-Seremac,
Communication Office at Promo-LEX Association
GSM: 069 89 55 15, e-mail: [email protected]

________________________

[1] New local elections will be held on 21 November 2021 in 15 localities (Balti Municipality, Ucrainca commune and Opaci village, Causeni district, Hartop commune, Cimislia district, Cupcini town and Hlinaia village, Edinet district, Iscalau commune, Calinesti and Parlita villages, Falesti district, Camenca commune, Glodeni district, Balceana village, Hancesti district, Cneazevca commune, Leova district, Palanca and Stefanesti villages, Stefan Voda district, Negurenii Vechi commune, Ungheni district).