Africa-Press – Angola. The information was released this Tuesday, in Luanda, by electoral commissioner João Damião, referring to it being the first time that the country will make use of this right, which takes place after the mapping of polling stations is closed, 45 days before the vote. general
Voting citizens who, for reasons inherent to the exercise of their functions, are unable to attend the polling station on 24 August, may request an early vote, the commissioner of the National Electoral Commission informed yesterday in Luanda ( CNE), João Damião.
The academic also provided information during his lecture on “early voting from the perspective of Angolan electoral legislation”, at the international seminar on “early voting and voting abroad”, organized by the Network of Jurisdictional and Electoral Administration Bodies of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries, abbreviated ROJAE-CPLP.
João Damião said that the request for early voting, which will take place for the first time in the country, takes place after the mapping of polling stations has been completed, 45 days before the general vote. The electoral commissioner clarified that the exercise of the right to early vote can be requested by the interested electoral citizen or by the body to which he is linked, and must be addressed to the Municipal Electoral Commission until the 30th day before the general vote.
He added that early voting takes place between the 15th and 10th day prior to the general vote, under the terms to be established by the Plenary of the National Electoral Commission. “Early voting takes place at the Municipal Electoral Commissions in the areas of residence of voters who request early voting or at places indicated by the National Electoral Commission”, he stressed.
João Damião also stressed that the exercise of early voting must comply with the principle of prior registration in the electoral roll, ownership and possession of the voter’s card or Identity Card, responsibility, the impossibility of going to the assembly and voting table, vote (on the day of the general voting), the link to a body that functions uninterruptedly or on a shift basis. The Organic Law on General Elections emphasizes that the right to early vote is not extended to voting citizens residing abroad.
Few Countries With This Right
Also electoral commissioner Cremildo Paca made it known, on the occasion, that early voting is only carried out in countries such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, Guyana, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, United States of America, Sweden and Cape Verde. “Countries like Germany, Austria, Spain, Brazil and all of Latin America do not provide for early voting, much less almost all of Africa, with the exception of Cape Verde”, stressed the also jurist, adding that this right is not contemplated. across Asia. “There are few countries in the world that have early voting,” he said.
Eligible For Early Voting
In accordance with the Organic Law on General Elections, the military, agents of Public Order and other Security Services, agents of the Civil Protection and Fire Services, members and employees of the Independent Electoral Administration Bodies, agents of the Emergency Medical Services and the like, doctors and other health professionals on duty and patients admitted to hospital establishments.
This list also includes workers from diamond exploration companies, oil companies, maritime, aeronautical, rail and road sectors and citizens who need to travel abroad for reasons of illness, work and the like. The list also includes citizens who are detained or imprisoned and who are not deprived of the exercise of political rights, top-level athletes who need to travel abroad on behalf of national teams or clubs in official competitions and other professionals in the same condition.
Early Voting
The international seminar on early voting and voting abroad was chaired by the president of ROJAE-CPLP, the Angolan Manuel Pereira da Silva, as leader of the international organization, and aimed at exchanging experience and knowledge, with a view to collecting opinions on the model and method of organizing, coordinating, conducting and carrying out early voting.
The themes highlighted at the event, which was attended by the delegation of all member countries of the organization, “the early vote in the perspective of Angolan legislation”, given by the Angolan electoral commissioner João Damião, “the early vote in the Portuguese elections”, by João de Almeida, from CNE Portugal, “voting abroad in the view of Angolan electoral legislation”, by the also Angolan electoral commissioner Cremildo Paca, and “voting abroad in the Cape Verde elections”, by Cristina Leite, from CNE de Cape Green.
Election Observation Missions In Angola and Brazil
The Network of Jurisdictional Bodies of the Electoral Administration of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries meets again, today, from 08:00, in the same hotel as yesterday, in the capital of the country, in Assembly- Extraordinary General Assembly, to analyze and approve the terms of reference for electoral observation missions in Angola and Brazil, as well as the approval of identification models for observation missions. The members of ROJAE-CPLP, who are in Angola, will be present at the event as part of the international seminar on “Early Voting and Voting Abroad”.
The organization was created on December 13, 2018 by the members of the CPLP jurisdictional bodies and electoral administration for the consolidation, intensification of cooperation mechanisms and exchange of experience between members, in matters of organization, conduct, coordination of the electoral process. within the CPLP space. The network is currently chaired by the Angolan National Electoral Commission, which is headed by Judge Manuel Pereira da Silva.
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