Appel to voters!

Preliminary  and final voter lists may differ

02.02.2007

The Albanian Helsinki Committee calls upon all voters to acquaint themselves with both the preliminary voter lists that will remain posted until February 6, 2007, and with the final voter lists that will be announced on February 7, 2007, in order to exercise their constitutional right to vote in the Elections for Local Government Bodies to be held on February 18, 2007.

 

When a voter does not find his/her name on the preliminary voter list, it is his/her right to address, in writing, the head of the local government unit where he resides in writing, and, when necessary, the court, if his/her request is not considered.

 

Based on data collected by AHC observers in Tiranë and some other districts, it results that electoral sensitization and propaganda to raise the awareness of voters, draft and verify voter lists, and correct them when necessary, is relatively poor.

 

Considering that the time to review the voter lists is too short, AHC calls upon all voters to become acquainted with the location of the voter lists, their own and their family members’ names on the lists.

 

Considering the experience from previous elections, AHC also calls upon voters to demonstrate interest in acquainting themselves also with the final voter lists because these lists, too, may contain omissions and inaccuracies. By law, in these cases, the voter has the right to address the court.

 

AHC is of the opinion that through intensive daily work, by using all tools and forms for sensitization, it will be possible to draft voter lists that will include all citizens who have the right to vote.