For the presidential election and the autumn referendum, more polling stations will be established abroad than in the previous elections, said the chairwoman of the Central Election Commission Angela Caraman, who urged the voters from the diaspora to preregister to participate in the ballot. According to the CEC head, the number of preregistrations is an important factor that determines the opening of more polling stations abroad, IPN reports.

The head of the Central Election Commission said that the number of polling stations abroad will be determined 35 days before the election day and will be influenced by three important factors, including preregistration.

“It goes to the number of voters who participated in the last three elections, the number of voters recorded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the result of the preregistration. All these criteria help us to establish the number of polling stations. That’s why it is important to have as many preregistrations as possible so that we have a picture as close as possible to reality. All calculations show that the number of polling stations should be increased by at least 59 stations. What is certain is that the number of polling stations will be higher in particular countries, where we have a higher voter turnout,” Angela Caraman stated in the program “Public Space” on Radio Moldova.

According to her, the citizens who want to vote by mail must preregister. Through preregistration, the voter submits the online application to vote through the postal service. In some states, the voting process could be organized for two consecutive days, on Saturday and Sunday.

“Preregistration is mandatory for those who intend to vote by mail. At the moment, we have about 200 applications. Where we have objective circumstances, for example, it will not be possible to open more polling stations because the host country does not accept it, the election can be held for two days, on Saturday and Sunday. Or there may be other situations that require, for reasons of safety, security of voters, to do this exercise for two days. As an example, the state of Israel can be given. Sunday is a working day there and it is more difficult for voters in Israel to go to the polling station. On the other hand, Saturday is a day of rest there and they could go and vote,” said the chairwoman of the Central Election Commission.

The presidential election will be held on October 20, simultaneously with a national constitutional referendum on joining the EU. To preregister, citizens must access the platform www.inregistrare.cec.md.