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Time: 9.30 am

The Promo-LEX Observation Mission of the Presidential Elections finds that at the opening of polling stations in the country there was a high number of requests to vote at home, the presence of electoral posters within the vicinity of polling stations, the organized transport of voters and a lack of electricity.

Promo-LEX observers reported that 1074 monitored polling stations were open at 7:00 am and 85 polling stations were opened with a delay of less than 15 minutes. In the polling stations there were 17,786 members of PSEB and 4130 operators of the State Registry of Voters present. The observers also reported 38,171 registered requests to vote at a place of residence at 2009 monitored polling stations.

According to the information received from Promo-LEX observers, as of 9:15 am the following incidents were recorded:

Restricted access or the prevention of the free observation process at polling stations – 5 cases. Here are several examples:

• PS 14, Basarabeasca. Between 6:30 and 6:50 access for the Promo-LEX observer was restricted on the grounds that accreditation from the first round was not valid. After the intervention of the long-term observer in Basarabeasca, the incident was resolved.
• PS 154, Chisinau. The PSEB president did not allow free observation in the PS for all observers, and also limited the use of mobile phones.

The presence of publicity materials, advertisements and electoral billboards within the perimeter of polling stations (within 100 meters of the polling station)– 60 cases. Here are several examples: PS 4, 3 Calarasi, PS 6 Ungheni, PS 128, 198 Chisinau, PS 22 Causeni, PS 10, 13 Ialoveni, PS 5 Floresti.

Ballot boxes were not sealed according to the legal procedures. Tearing/damage or absence of seals on ballot boxes — 7 cases. The cases were reported at: PS 9, 34 Balti, PS 25, 7 Cimislia, PS 265, 287 Chisinau, PS 287, 71 Chisinau.

The unjustified presence of unauthorized persons inside or within 50 m of the polling station – 4 cases.

• PS 2, Edinet. A candidate’s observer did not have accreditation. The PSEB president asked that person to come back to the polling station with accreditation.
• PS 143, Chisinau. A candidate’s observer did not have an ID card or an observer’s pass; nevertheless the PSEB president allowed him to continue monitoring.
• PS 3, Cahul. Two unauthorized people spent several minutes in the PS, and the PSEB president asked them to leave the polling station. The incident was settled after the intervention of a police officer.
• PS 16 Florești. A civil servant from the mayor’s office— a supporter of a candidate—came to the polling station and started to give orders. He was accompanied by 5 observers accredited by a nongovernmental association from Chisinau, who subsequently remained in the polling station.

Electioneering or black PR within the perimeter of and/or near polling stations with the purpose of influencing the voters – 3 cases. Such cases were recorded in the following stations: PS 27 Taraclia, PS 20 and PS 215 Chisinau.

Organized transport of voters – 4 cases.

• PS 41 Anenii Noi. 2 cases of voter transport were reported: in the first case, 12 visually-impaired voters were brought by a van; in the second case, 10-12 voters were transported by another van.
• PS 42 Rezina. 5 vans were observed transporting about 15 people to the polling station. The Promo-LEX observer reported that these people were citizens of the Transnistrian region.
• PS 41 Anenii Noi. A van with license plates from the Transnistrian region transported 10-15 visually-impaired people to the polling station.

Acts of violence or intimidation against voters or other people — 1 case.

PS 257 Chisinau. An election candidate’s observer filmed the lists of voters without the consent of the PSEB president. When the PSEB president intervened, the observer reacted aggressively toward the PSEB president and secretary. The observer eventually stopped filming after speaking on the phone.

Problems in the operation of SAIS Elections (the suspension of functions; situations in which SAIS Elections indicates that a voter has voted, but the voter claims he/she has not) – 6 cases.

• PS 21 Taraclia. Due to the lack of electricity, SAIS Elections did not work for 10 minutes.
• PS 3, Rezina. A computer did not work for about 17 minutes. The voters were recorded on a sheet of paper.
• PS 22, Cimislia. At 7:10 am there was no electricity in the PS.
• PS 216, Chisinau. A different number of voters was registered in SAIS Elections than in the electoral lists. In SAIS Elections there were 2522 voters and in the electoral lists there were 2445 voters, but the number of ballot papers issued was 2534.
• PS 29, Balti. SAIS Elections is operating, but with interruptions.
• PS 24 Criuleni. The observer reported a large difference between the number of voters in SAIS Elections (1262) and number of voters on the main electoral lists (1254).

Problems with the electoral lists (discrepancies in addresses; deceased voters; signatures under the names of other people) – 2 cases.

• PS 24 Criuleni. The Promo-LEX observer reported that 8 voters were not included on the main electoral lists, even though they were present in SAIS Elections.
• PS 3, Calarasi. Deceased people were found on the electoral lists.

The photographing of ballots – 3 cases. These were recorded at PS 3 Calarasi. PS 144, 198 Chisinau.

Lack of electricity – 22 cases. These cases were recorded at the opening of polling stations: PS 20, 21, 22 Taraclia; PS 2 Basarabeasca; PS 6, 15, 16, 17, 26 Soldandesti; PS 39 Causeni; PS 1 Glodeni; PS 19, 20, 36, 38, 40, 41, 42 Soldandesti; PS 12, 17, 18, 20 Stefan Voda.

Other incidents reported by Promo-LEX observers:

• PS 30, Rezina. On 12 November 2016 the PSEB president withdrew from the EOPS, as he was a local council member. His duties were taken over by the deputy president.
• PS 13 Soldandesti. The PS number is not displayed at the entrance to the polling station.
• In Dubasari, on the 11^th and 12^th of November all social workers from local districts were sent to visit the elderly in order to collect requests to vote at home. The Promo-LEX observer was informed that the social workers had encouraged the elderly to vote for a certain candidate. On the day of the second round of the elections, 351 requests to vote at home were recorded with the ECC in Dubasari. For comparison, in the first round there were 67 such requests.
• At the ECC in Criuleni, 502 requests to vote at home were filed for the first round, and 780 for the second round.
• PS 115, Chisinau. At 8:20 am, the PSEB president found 500 Euros in a voting booth. The police were called to document the case.

Promo-LEX Observation Mission consists of 42 long-term observers who monitor the electoral process in all constituencies of the Republic of Moldova during 31 August – 30 November 2016. On the election day, Promo-LEX sent a short-term observer to each polling station in the country, involving a total of 1981 observers. The Mission monitors the electoral process in 36 polling stations open abroad. The observers involved in the monitoring process signed the Code of Conduct of the Promo-LEX Independent National Observer, committing to act efficiently, in good faith and in a non-partisan manner. The Promo-LEX EOM will also perform a Parallel Vote Tabulation in all polling stations. The activity of all observers is coordinated by a central team consisting of 37 persons.

The activity carried out by Promo-LEX EOM and the “Come to Vote” campaign is currently funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the British Embassy in Chisinau, the National Endowment for Democracy and the Council of Europe. The opinions presented in the public reports of Promo-LEX belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the donors’ view.

For more details, contact: Tatiana Pascovschi, Communication Officer of Promo-Lex Election Observation Mission: GSM 060804022, e-mail: [email protected]