The Republic of Moldova will implement postal voting in the presidential elections this autumn. The draft law providing for the piloting of “envelope voting” was voted in final reading by Parliament on Friday, 26 April 2024. The document regulates the principles of exercising the right to vote by post, the specific electoral procedures, and the powers of the electoral bodies that will organize this alternative voting method.
Postal voting will be possible in the United States, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland. It will not be available in countries with which Moldova has no diplomatic relations, in countries in military conflicts, and in countries where international standards are free.
The document has removed uncertainty regarding the age of voters, allowing individuals who have reached the age of majority at the time of application to vote by post. It includes a ballot security measure mandating the inclusion of an affidavit in the envelope alongside the voting materials. Voters must sign it to confirm their exercise of the secret ballot, with penalties imposed on those who do not uphold the secrecy of the vote. Additionally, a new article has been added to the Contravention Code, addressing violations such as failing to respect secret voting, disclosing postal voting, or transmitting the ballot paper to a third party.
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Voters must register for postal voting and receive confirmation from the Central Electoral Commission that the registration procedure is complete to vote by mail. Voters will receive their ballot papers by diplomatic mail or regular postal services. The document also outlines the procedures for counting votes and handling invalid ballots.
In the 2021 presidential elections, 212,434 voters from outside the Republic of Moldova participated. Globally, 53 countries permit postal voting from abroad. At the same time, 13 EU Member States permit postal voting.