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Article 44
 

1. Electoral activities will be promoted and conducted by an electoral office constituted for each polling station or section.


2. The electoral office will be comprised of a chief electoral officer, his/her deputy and three members – one secretary and two tellers.


3. Electors who cannot read or write Portuguese cannot be appointed members of the electoral office and, apart from the cases outlined in no 3 of article 47, they must belong to the polling station for which they have been appointed.


4. Apart from a case of ‘force major’ or justified cause, it is compulsory to carry out the functions of members of the electoral office of the polling station or section.


5. The following are considered justified causes for not carrying out this duty:


a) Age over 65 years;


b) Illness or physical incapacity proven by the municipal health delegate;


c) Change of address to another municipality, proven by the parish headquarters of the new residence;


d) Absence abroad, duly proven;


e) Professional commitments unable to be postponed, duly proven by superiors.


6. Any justified cause will be invoked, whenever the elector can do so, up to three days before the election, and before the president of the municipality.


7. In the case outlined in the previous point, the president of the municipality will immediately proceed to the substitution, by appointing another elector belonging to such polling station.