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Article 94B
 

Voting by letter for Overseas voters 


(Addition: 13/3/2008-5749/10 art.)


Supreme Election board sends Overseas District Election Boards specially manufactured ballot papers and specially colored voting envelopes. Foreign District Election Board, send ballot papers and envelopes which are sealed with its own seal to the registered addresses of voters Overseas seventy five days before the elections. Among the envelopes sent to voters, in the small one carrying the seal of Foreign District Election Board, ballot paper is put in. This envelope is put in middle sized envelope on which “Foreign District Election Board Ankara/TÜRKİYE” is written and this envelope in put in the third envelope on which the foreign registered address of the voter is written.  


Voter who takes the letter opens the envelope on which his address is written, he marks the part  (X) which he prefers in the column of political party, or the part in presidential elections or in referendum, puts the ballot paper in the small envelope and closes the envelope. He puts this envelope inside the envelope on which "Yurt Dışı İlçe Seçim Kurulu Ankara/TÜRKİYE" address is written, closes the envelope and sends it in a way to be arrived to Foreign District Election Board at latest at 17.00 on day of elections. 


Methods and principles related with sending, safety and determination of identity of letters, are determined by Supreme Election Council by taking opinion of Directorate General of Mail and Telegram Organization. Posting expenses are met by Supreme Election Council.


Letters coming to Foreign District Election Board are opened by ballot box committees after determination of identity of voter is determined and marked in the electoral list and the envelope that includes the ballot paper and is thrown n ballot without being opened. Ballot is opened at 17.00 daily by authorized ballot box committees, envelopes are compared with numbers of voters and their convenience are determined. Without being opened, voting envelopes are put in a sealed bag along with minute of proceedings and delivered to Foreign District Election Board by ballot box committees.


Letters which arrive later than 17.00 on election day, are determined in minute book and destroyed by burning. 


After 17.00 on election day, sacks are opened by Overseas District Board and counting and combining transactions are undertaken and results are sent to Ankara Provincial Election Board. This Board prepares combination minute book and sends it to Supreme Election Council.   


Number of valid votes used by voters abroad, is added to the number of valid votes in Turkey by Supreme Election board and at nation level the general amount of votes and the amount of votes each party take, are determined.              


With this method, total number of votes defined in Article 33 of 2839 numbered MP Election Law are  found.


Total valid votes in each electoral environment are increased at the ratio obtained by dividing of total votes delivered to Ankara Provincial Election Board to votes delivered by other election boards.  Difference between total votes used in such electoral environment and votes calculated with this method, are shared among political parties at the ratio of their shares of the votes coming from Ankara Provincial Election Board and numbers obtained are added to the valid votes taken in such  electoral environment. Thus, total valid amount of votes and total valid votes of political parties are determined by article 34 of MP Election Board are determined.