Voting in the diaspora should be based on the identity card or passport, soldier’s record or even driver’s license. The participants in public hearings centering on the bill to annul the mixed electoral system and to restore the party-list proportional representation system that were staged by the Parliament’s legal commission for appointments and immunities stated deferring opinions on the voting with expired papers by Moldovans abroad, IPN reports.

Sergiu Litvinenko, who heads commission, reminded that the Central Election Commission since 2005 until 2016 allowed the Moldovans from the diaspora to vote with expired passports. In the elections of 2019, this wasn’t possible. Allowing the Moldovans abroad to vote with expired identity cards and passports is a solution, on condition that both of the documents have IDNP and the person can be identified in the electronic register of voters so as to exclude the possibility of multiple voting.

“WatchDog” community expert Valeriu Pașa said a lot of the Moldovans who live abroad do not have a valid Moldovan passport as they don’t need it. These should be able to vote with any identification paper that has a photo and IDNP, including a driver’s license, based on which the person could be identified and put on the electronic register of voters.

“Democracy at Home” Party chairman Vasile Costiuc said it is now opportune to discuss the possibility of introducing electronic voting that would stimulate the participation in elections of the Moldovans abroad.

Jurist Mihai Corj stated more voting opportunities with different papers should be offered to those from the diaspora, but these papers should be valid.

Former president of the Central Election Commission Ștefan Urîtu said he is against allowing the Moldovans from the diaspora to vote with expired papers. According to him, conditions should be created for the Moldovans abroad to easier get and renew identification papers. If the range of papers is extended, those who aim to rig the elections could profit from this.