When will the vote-counting groups be set up and trained?!

24.06.2005

Although there are 9 days from the election day,  Albanian Helsinki Committee, considers as necessary to raise for the last time the concern that if the vote-counting groups are set up 2 hours prior to the closure of elections, the training of the 3200-4000 members will be impossible.

To AHC, there was no obstacle to ELC-s that immediately after their establishment, to define the number of the vote-counting groups and to forward this decision to the political parties that would make the respective proposals.

ELC –s decisions on this occasion would be in compliance with article 95/2 item 1 of the Electoral Code where it is stated that: ‘ In order to count the votes at a local unit level, with ELC decision… not later that 2 hours prior to the closure of voting…there are assigned up to 5 counting groups with seven members and a secretary per each one.

Despite this, since March 23, 2005, CEC adopted the guideline that obliged the ElC-s to assign the number of vote-counting groups not later than 5 days from the voting day and notify this decision immediately to the relevant political parties.

Nothing could hinder the ELC-s to make this decision, say, within May or the first days of June 2005.

AHC shares the opinion that, there is no excuse as to article 95/2 item of the Electoral Code and CEC guideline dated March 23, 2005, to implement the last deadlines, thus questioning the training of the members of the vote-counting groups.

It is obvious that AHC, since the beginning, has submitted its own observations related to the aforementioned provision of the Electoral Code.

AHC has voiced the opinion that although from the formal-legal perspective the establishment of the counting groups 2 hours prior to the closure of voting would not be considered as a violation, if this deadline is met, obviously any possibility of training is excluded

 AHC continues to regard as wrong and with consequences the idea that as under the Electoral Code, the contestations that would be confirmed during the vote-counting process, would be solved by the ELC, one quick training of the vote-counting groups would be enough (not to mention the fact that this training would not be organized at all.)

AHC cannot perceive this ‘excuse’ and would consider what may happen as implying heavy consequences: the formal training or the failure of training’.

AHC is aware that as regards the significant process of vote-counting that needs skills, impartiality, transparency and efficiency, the law   gives the power to the vote-counting groups, and furthermore it’s worth mentioning that they are the ones that would identify which votes are valid or invalid and would fill in the tally sheet for each polling station.

AHC thinks that involving in this process (with ElC-s decision) people proposed by the political parties, but that are not aware of their legal duties, means to tolerate or accept the exercising of a duty mechanically and with no responsibility.

AHC shares the opinion that, even in these few days that are from the elections of July 3, the above difficulties can be reduced and the potential consequences can be prevented.

It is precisely this reason, AHC deems as necessary to suggest to ELC-s that have not yet decided about the number of vote-counting groups as well as to the political parties that have the right to proposals, but have not yet forwarded them, to assess this problem seriously.

On this occasion also suggests to CEC that while implementing its constitutional and legal functions as well as in the context of the supervision and verification of the different aspects of the Electoral Code, to pursue this case with priority with the aim that either one or two days prior to the election to train all the members of the vote-counting groups.