The official electoral campaign for the presidential elections and the constitutional referendum has ended. The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) has announced the restrictions for October 19 and 20, 2024, IPN reports.
According to the Electoral Code, "electoral campaigning is strictly prohibited on both election day and the day before," meaning today and tomorrow. Candidates and referendum participants are not allowed to appear on television or radio programs, and local public administrations and advertising broadcasters must remove electoral advertising materials. An exception to this rule applies to materials already posted on the internet, explained CEC President Angelica Caraman during a briefing.
Additionally, the Central Electoral Commission warned that not only parties and candidates but also individuals who break the law will be penalized. According to Article 52 of the Contraventions Code no. 218/2008, continuing electoral campaigning during the prohibition period constitutes an administrative offense. Individuals who violate these provisions face fines ranging from 40 to 60 conventional units, while legal entities may be fined between 100 and 150 conventional units.
"Citizens and electoral competitors are urged to follow the law to ensure a fair and transparent electoral process," concluded the head of the CEC.
Furthermore, on election day, conducting polls is prohibited until 9:00 PM: "The publication of any opinion polls regarding voters' political preferences is forbidden; after 9:00 PM, only the results of opinion polls published before election day can be made public."
