General local elections are held in the localities of the Republic of Moldova today. The Moldovan voters are to choose 898 mayors and 11,058 local councilors. Over 2.7 million voters are expected to cast their ballots at the 1,958 polling stations established for the current elections. Polls are open between 7am and 9pm.

For the general local elections, there were registered 57,396 candidates for posts of mayor and local councilor on behalf of 35 political parties and an electoral bloc, and also 1,174 independent candidates. On Friday, the Commission for Exceptional Situations ordered to annul the registration of the election contenders put forward by the Chance Party. The stamp “withdrawn” will be put next to the name of this party’s candidates on the ballot.

The Central Election Commission printed 7 669 667 ballots, of which 6 068 878 are in Romanian, while the rest are in Russian.

In accordance with the electoral provisions, each elector votes in person. Voting instead of other persons is not allowed. The voter presents the ID to the electoral office of the polling place for registering their presence at the polling station and for checking their inclusion in the main voter rolls. Later, a member of the electoral bureau issues the voter with a ballot. When receiving the ballot, the voter puts the signature next to their name in the register of voters.

The voter can be put only on one electoral register and is assigned to vote only at one polling station based on documents showing that they live in the area covered by the given polling station. The persons who has the valid domicile or residence (period when this was registered cannot be shorter than three months before the first round of voting) is put on the register of voters intended for the polling station that covers the area where the person has the residence.

The voter who presents the passport or identity card of the first generation without the accompanying lose leaf is allowed to cast the ballot if the electronic system confirms that they were assigned to vote at that polling station and if they are on the main register of voters of the polling station. In the case of persons who vote with the passport, the series and number of the passport is written in the Note division of the register of voters.

The Public Services Agency announced that its multifunctional centers on the day of general local elections will issue free temporary identity cards to citizens of the Republic of Moldova aged over 18 who on election day do not have IDs to vote. All the multifunctional centers have a special work program, from 7am until 9pm.

Voters who for health or other valid reasons cannot go to the polling station need to submit a written request to the electoral office to ask for a mobile ballot box. The electoral office will accept applications until the day before election day, by 2pm. Voters can also request to vote at the place of residence on election day by submitting a request in written form, but with the presentation of a medical certificate, also by 2pm.

Political campaigning on election day is strictly prohibited. It is not allowed conducting or covering electoral activities. The candidates are banned from appearing in TV or radio programs.

Sunday’s elections are overseen by over 1,500 national and international observers accredited by the Central Election Commission. Of the total number, 1,092 are national observers who represent eight public associations of the country. More than 400 are international observers who represent embassies working in mold ova, foreign electoral authorities, international organizations, OSCE/ODIHR, ENEMO, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the European Parliament.

The observers accredited to supervise the general local elections of November 5, 2023 will be able to report online the violations committed in the polling station on election day through www.observator.cec.md . The reports will be examined by representatives of the electoral bodies and solutions will be provided in the fastest way possible.

The elections in the constituency are considered valid if at least 1/4 of the persons put on voter rolls cast their ballots there. For the runoff vote to be considered valid, the voter turnout should be at least 1/5 of the persons put on the registers of voters.