Ensure the security of the voting process

(1) On Elections Day, between 06.30 and 07.00, the Chairperson of the Precinct Electoral Bureau, in the presence of at least half of the members of the Precinct Electoral Bureau, checks the ballot boxes and seals them. He/she checks the existence of the Voter’s Lists, the ballot papers and the stamps and draws up a protocol in two copies. The protocols shall be signed by all the present members of the Precinct Electoral Bureau, a copy shall be placed in the ballot box, after the Chairperson declares the voting opened.

(2) Ballot papers shall be stored in a secure place inside the polling station, in packages of 100 and, where necessary, shall be distributed by the Chairperson of the Precinct Electoral Bureau to the members of the Bureau to be issued to the voters.

(3) Electoral officials from the Precinct Electoral Bureau, representatives of the electoral competitors/participants in the referendum and the persons authorised to observe electoral procedures are required to wear visible identity badges. People entering the polling station shall be prohibited to wear or present badges, electoral symbols or other signs of electoral campaigning.

(4) If, for health or other ground reasons, the voter is unable to come to the polling station in the territorial range of which he/she has his/her domicile or temporary residence, upon his/her written request, the Precinct Electoral Bureau shall nominate no less than two members of the bureau to go to the voter’s accommodation place to conduct voting, taking with them a mobile ballot box and all the materials necessary for voting. The requests may be submitted in writing within 2 weeks prior to the Elections Day and until 14:00 of the day preceding the Elections Day. On the Elections Day, the requests may be approved by the Precinct Electoral Bureau until 14:00, upon the submission of a medical certificate. The procedure for voting at the place of stay shall be established by the Central Electoral Commission. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to the polling stations opened abroad and to those organised for voters from the localities situated on the left bank of Dniester River.

(5) Persons detained as per an arrest order until a Court sentence is pronounced, persons sentenced to prison (deprivation of liberty) whose sentence is not final, persons under arrest for committing an contravention offence, person sentenced to prison (deprivation of liberty) by a final Court decision, located in penitentiaries shall vote in compliance with paragraph (4), by using a mobile ballot box.

(6) If the Chairperson of the Precinct Electoral Bureau authorizes a mobile ballot box as well as the list of voters who requested to vote at place of accommodation to be taken out of the polling station, he/she shall notify such fact to representatives of electoral competitors/participants in the referendum and persons authorised to observe the elections procedures. Those persons are offered the opportunity to accompany the mobile ballot box, by using their own means of transport, where necessary.

(7) Chairperson of the Precinct Electoral Bureau shall have the responsibility for insurance of public order, on the Elections Day, in the area of the polling station and within 100 metres around the polling station premises. Decisions taken to that effect shall be binding for everyone. Failure to comply with the orders of the Chairperson of the Precinct Electoral Bureau entails contravention liability.

(8) The following persons shall be entitled to be present at the electoral bodies meetings, votes counting and tabulation, at the activities related to Voters’ Lists, ballot papers and other electoral documents and at the drawing up of the protocols on voting results:

a) members and representatives of the superior electoral bodies;

b) representatives of the electoral competitors/participants in the referendum in the electoral bodies;

c) national and international observers accredited by the concerned electoral bodies and their interpreters, where appropriate;

d) journalists authorized by the media institutions and subsequently confirmed by the Central Electoral Commission.

(9) No other person may remain inside the polling station for longer period than it is necessary for voting. Within 100 metres from the voting premises, including, inside the other spaces/rooms of the building where the polling station is located, shall be permitted the continuous or permanent presence only of the representatives of law enforcement authorities, nominated to maintain the public order and security of the electoral process.

(10) Shall be prohibited to enter a polling station carrying firearms or bladed weapons. By exception to that prohibition, representatives of the police may enter the polling station with firearms only if they cast their vote in that polling station or have been called by the Chairperson of the Precinct Electoral Bureau to re-establishing the legal order.