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The Promo-LEX OM for the General Local Elections of 5 November 2023 received, until 9:00, 141 reports of incidents from observers. This release includes 44 incidents processed by the central team of the Promo-LEX OM up to specific hour.

We specify that, on election day, the Promo-LEX OM delegated 602 static observers, including in all polling stations in Balti and Chisinau municipalities, as well as in 237 polling stations in the rest of the country, selected based on a representative sample. Furthermore, the electoral process in the rest of the polling stations, in their immediate vicinity and access routes thereto, is also monitored by another 142 observers grouped in 71 mobile teams.

According to observers, of the total of 436 stations monitored at the opening, 97 were opened a little earlier or after 7:00.

Incidents reported at the opening of polling stations:

Restricted access for observers or obstruction of the free observation process in the polling station – 4 cases.

PS 7/1 Cahul, Cahul. The observer was allowed to enter the polling station only at 6:50, even though he had come at 6:30.

PS 1/202 Chisinau, Riscani. At 6:40, upon entering the polling station, the PEB president informed the Promo-LEX observer that he had to appear two days before the election day in order to register in the list of observers. After the PEB president made a phone call to clarify, the observer’s access was allowed.

PS 01/58, Chisinau, Botanica. At 6:30, when the observer tried to enter the PS to observe the preparation for the opening, his access was restricted and he was informed that the PS opens at 7:00. Later, at 6:54, the observer’s access to the PS premises was allowed.

PS 01/32, Chisinau, Botanica. At 6:30, the observer’s access to the PS to observe the preparation for the opening was denied. Later, at 6:45, the observer’s access to the PS premises was allowed.

Deficiencies in the operation of the SAIS Elections (technical errors, problems related to voter registration, etc.) – 7 cases.

PS 2/21 Balti. The SAIS Elections was not operational for 8 minutes from 7:20. During that time, 2 voters waited until the deficiency was resolved. Operators intervened and the problem was removed.

PS 01/56, Chisinau, Botanica. Between 07:14 and 07:42, the SAIS Elections was not operational, and the Internet connection was interrupted. In that interval, the voters voted without registration in the system, they were enlisted on a sheet of paper by the PS president to be registered after removal of deficiencies.

PS 22/26, Leova, Filipeni. Since the opening of the PS, the SAIS Elections was not operational due to the lack of internet connection, therefore the voters voted without registration in the system, they were enlisted on a sheet of paper to be registered after removal of deficiencies.

PS 1/289 Chisinau, Condrita. Between 08:20 and 08:27, it was found that SAIS Elections stopped operating (internet connection disappeared). The voter who appeared at the PS during that time was allowed to vote.

PS 01/144, Chisinau, Botanica. At 07:20, a voter with a residence visa in the identity card at str. Miorita 1, was identified in SAIS Elections with the address at str. Miorita 1/1. SAIS Elections operators claim that it is an error, since only Casa Radio is located at str. Miorita 1. The voter was allowed to vote, but showed signs of dissatisfaction with the situation. The PEB president advised him to find time to correct the error in documents.

PS 1/276 Chisinau, Bubuieci. At 07:26, one of the SAIS Elections operators noted the PEB president that he could not enter the system. The president became aware of what happened and called the specialized bodies for assistance. Only one of the operators continued the verification of voters in SAIS Elections. The deficiency lasted for at least 50 minutes.

PS 14/2 Drochia, Drochia. Since the opening of the PS, SAIS Elections was not operational at an operator, the voting process was not interrupted, the PEB president announced about that incident. By 08:45, the problem had not been resolved.

Deficiencies in voters’ lists – 1 case.

PS 23/38, Nisporeni, Varzaresti. One voter was not found in voters’ lists and he was stating that he voted permanently in that section. He was entered in the supplementary lists.

Discontinuation of the shooting of electoral operations during the voting day – 10 cases.

PS 11/4 Cimislia, Cimislia. From the opening of the polling station and until 7:30 (departure of the Mobile Team from the polling station), the video camera was not operational.

PS 21/1 Ialoveni, Ialoveni. Between 06:45 and 7:30 (departure of the Mobile Team from the polling station), the video camera was not operational.

PS 27/39 Riscani, Recea. At 7:05, it was found that the video camera was not operational. The PEB president and an operator intervened in the camera’s settings to connect it. The technical failure lasted about 15 minutes.

PS 1/219 Chisinau, Riscani. At 7:25, the shooting process was interrupted due to a technical failure of the camera. The failure was removed after about 10 minutes.

PS 20/13, Hincesti, Bujor. At 07:30, the video camera did not record for a period of about 5 minutes, due to its discharge. The failure was removed and the shooting process was resumed.

PS 26/3 Rezina, Rezina. Between 7:30 and 8:15, the video camera was disconnected. According to the observer, it only recorded the PS preparation for the opening and was disconnected due to lack of memory. The PEB representatives stated that they will connect the camera when the counting of votes begins.

PS 25/37 Orhei, Isacova. Between 07:40 and 08:10 (departure of the Mobile Team from the polling station), the video camera was not operational.

PS 12/32 Criuleni, Pascani. The video camera was turned on at 7:20 after more than 20 citizens voted. It was disconnected for technical reasons later again.

PS 25/37 Orhei, Isacova. Between 07:40 and 08:10 (departure of the MT from the PS), the video camera was not operational.

PS 1/70, Chisinau, Botanica. At 8:00, the electricity was disconnected for about 10 minutes. As a result, the video camera did not record. The problem was promptly removed and the shooting process was resumed.

Presence of advertising materials, posters, electoral boards within the radius of the polling station (100 meters from the station) – 3 cases.

PS 01/70, Chisinau, Botanica. In the morning, before the opening of the section, electoral materials (posters) of a political party were observed in front of the PS, on an information board.

PS 33/3 Taraclia, Taraclia. Near the polling station, advertising posters with photos of candidates from a political party are attached on two poles.

PS 1/109 Chisinau, Buiucani. Near the polling station, a banner with electoral message in favor of the electoral competitor of a political party was not removed. The banner is located opposite the entrance to the polling station.

Unjustified presence of unauthorized persons in the polling station or within 100 m – 3 cases.

PS 8/38 Cantemir, Porumbesti. Between 06:45 and 7:20 (departure of the Mobile Team from the polling station), the police representative was present in the polling station.

PS 01/52, Chisinau, Botanica. Between 07:52 and 08.05, a voter, under the pretext that his phone is discharged and needs to be charged, was in the PS entrance more time than necessary. He tried to vote in the section, although he resides in another locality. The operators explained to him that he could not vote.

PS 1/100 Chisinau, Buiucani. At 7:02, the unjustified presence of 3 unauthorized persons was found in the polling station. One of three persons had the capacity to represent a political party and came with a request to the PEB president to issue him the observer ID card. Later, in about 15 minutes, the situation was clarified, the person in question was registered as a representative of the electoral competitor, and his ID card was issued.

Ballot boxes were not sealed according to legal procedures/ broken/damaged or missing seals on ballot boxes – 7 cases.

PS 2/28 Balti. One of the static ballot boxes has a defect, so the PEB president could not apply the fourth seal

PS 2/30 Balti. Ballot boxes were sealed after announcing the opening of the polling station, at an interval of 10 minutes.

PS 01/137, Chisinau, Botanica. Stationary ballot boxes were sealed with only 3 seals.

PS 01/59, Chisinau, Botanica. Stationary ballot boxes were sealed with only 2 seals. The PEB president communicated that two seals are enough.

PS 21/42 Tipala, Ialoveni. At 7:00, stationary ballot boxes were sealed with 2 seals.

PS 1/218 Chisinau, Riscani. At 6:53, stationary ballot boxes were sealed with 2 seals. The PEB president commented that it would be easier to unseal, all PEB members agreed to be sealed with only two seals.

PS 1/124 Chisinau, Gratiesti. Stationary ballot boxes were initially sealed (time: 6:53) with a single seal. The extra seals were added by 7:35 so they would be properly sealed.

Violations of voting secrecy (photographing ballot papers, etc.) – 5 cases.

PS 36/10 TAUG, Comrat. At 7:20, a young man photographed the ballot paper with the option already expressed. When representatives objected, the PEB president intervened and the picture was deleted.

PS 01/56, Chisinau, Botanica. A voter was observed taking a photo of his ballot in the booth.  The PEB president warned him on the way out that he did not have the right to take photographs.

PS 01/17, Chisinau, Botanica. A voter showed everyone present in the PS the ballot paper after applying the ‘Voted’ stamp, having asked if it would be validated if it got dirty with ink.

PS 01/15, Chisinau, Botanica. A voter took a photo of the ballot paper. At the request of the PEB president, the photo was deleted.

PS 1/167 Chisinau, Ciocana. A voter asked if it was possible to exchange a new ballot paper and showed the stamped ballot to the PEB president and a political party representative to see if the stamp was legible. Later, he inserted it into the ballot box and left, and the PEB president replaced another stamp in the voting booth. The PEB president told him that she could not give him a new ballot paper.

Ballot papers not distributed to PEB members are not kept in a safe/closet inside the polling station – 1 case.

PS 01/60, Chisinau, Botanica. There is no safe or other secure place to keep unused ballot papers in the PS premises. All are kept on the table.

Unjustified group voting – 1 case.

PS 1/269 Chisinau, Vatra. At 07:45, the PEB secretary entered the voting booth to help a voter who did not have any deficiencies.

Others – 2 cases.

PS 1/110 Chisinau, Buiucani. At 7:43, at the time of voting, the PEB president noticed that the ballot papers in Russian were from another polling station, more precisely for PS 108. The president communicated about that and showed the box where the ballot papers were located to the observers and representatives of the political parties on which PS 110 was indicated. The PEB president said later that she would make a public act following that incident. At that moment, ballot papers in Russian have been withdrawn and ballot papers in Romanian will be offered.

PS 23/38, Nisporeni, Varzaresti. PEB members found a ballot paper in a voting booth, probably forgotten by a voter. It was introduced into the ballot box by the PEB president.

The release is drafted within the Observation Mission for the General Local Elections of 5 November 2023, carried out by the Promo-LEX Association with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Program “Democracy, Transparency and Responsibility” and of the European Union through the Project “Strengthening the electoral legislative framework and assessing its implementation during the general local elections in 2023”.

The opinions expressed in the reports and public releases of the Promo-LEX OM belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the point of view of financiers or partners. The content hereof may be subject to editorial revisions.

In case of discrepancies between the text in Romanian and its translation into another language, the provisions established by the Romanian text prevail.