Exemplary mobilization was seen in the presidential runoff of November 15. For the first time since the establishment of out-of-country polling stations abroad, the number of voters there has been so high. Over 260,000 Moldovans voted at the 139 out-of-country polling stations, IPN reports, quoting the Central Election Commission.
In a news conference, CEC vice president Vladimir Șarban said that at a number of out-of-country polling stations, the Moldovans expressed their dissatisfaction as they were unable to cast their ballots after the stations ran out of ballots. This problem should make the authorities take measures so as to avoid such a situation. In seven polling places, the 5,000 ballots, which is the highest number allowed for a polling station, were used up long before the end of voting.
Vladimir Șarban also said that problems with the vote abroad existed earlier too and there were elections when Moldovan expats voted on paper. The number of ballots for an out-of-country polling place was raised from 3,000 to 5,000, but this number also turned out to be insufficient. The CEC should analyze the electoral process, identify shortcomings and take measures to remove them.
According to the preliminary results, after 138 of the 139 vote reports from out-of-country polling stations were counted, the PAS candidate Maia Sandu is shown to have won 92.95% of the poll there, while independent candidate Igor Dodon – 7.05%. The report from Sacramento, the U.S., is yet to come.
