The procedures and preparations for the smooth conduct of the presidential elections next February are in full swing, with the Director General of the Ministry of Interior, Costas Constantinou, briefing candidates or their representatives today (Thursday) on the nomination process and other procedures related to the elections.
The first round of the elections will be held on 5 February 2023 and the second round, if no winner emerges from the first round, on 12 February.
Three are the important dates leading up to the road trip of the election:
- December 23, 2022, when the Decree of the Minister of Interior for the announcement of the elections will be issued,
- 27 December 2022, the day on which the deadline for submitting applications for registration on the electoral roll and for submitting declarations for voting at polling stations abroad
- 5 January 2023, the day on which the persons concerned will submit their candidacy for the 2023 presidential elections.
- 5 January 2023, the day on which the persons concerned will submit their candidacy for the 2023 presidential elections.
- 5 January 2023, the day on which the persons concerned will submit their candidacy for the 2023 presidential elections.
In statements following today's briefing of candidates or their representatives, the DG of the Ministry of Interior said that "we briefed on the presidential election roadmap, on the procedures, as well as on more practical issues related to the conduct of the elections."
He added that "on December 23, the Interior Minister will issue the warrant on the basis of which the election will be called[/B]. On the same day, the Chief Election Commissioner, the Election Commissioners and the Assistant Election Commissioners will be appointed."
Registration on the electoral roll
Mr. Constantine said that December 27 is the deadline for submitting an application for registration on the electoral roll and urged all citizens who qualify for registration on the electoral roll to apply. The application can be submitted either through the online platform that will be operational by midnight on December 27, or in paper form by 1700 on the same day.
"We also informed that a process is underway to register for the special electoral list for voting in overseas, which will also be completed on the 27th of this month.
We clarified that it will be possible to register on these lists in all cities abroad where the Republic of Cyprus has consular authorities and accordingly it will be determined where polling stations abroad will operate."
He said that according to the legislation, for there to be a polling station, the minimum number of registered voters is 50 for purposes of ensuring the secrecy of the vote.
Nominations for the presidential election will be submitted on January 5, 2023 at the Filoxenia Conference Centre. The venue was adapted accordingly for the needs of this process, Constantinou said, adding that "we expect that we will have a smooth process and the sovereign people will end up choosing the president who will rule the country for the next five years."
Asked if there is any difference from the previous electoral processes, he said that the option of applying electronically for registration on the electoral roll and the option of applying electronically to exercise the franchise abroad has been given.
Special protocol due to pandemic with variations
He further said that due to the pandemic a special protocol will be followed in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. Within the framework of this protocol there is no intention to apply the same procedures that were applied in the last parliamentary elections when there were mobile ballot boxes, he noted. He added that however, those who are positive for coronavirus on polling day will be given the opportunity to vote under very strict health protocols. A specific time will be set when they will be encouraged to vote and to this end the decree of the Minister of Health will be amended to allow them to come to the polling stations where they vote to exercise their right, he said.
Asked if we will have a record number of candidates in this election, he said that at the moment we have potential candidates who have announced their intention to run and he would not like to comment on how many candidates there are. He added that on January 5 when nominations are submitted we will know exactly who the candidates will be, but "from what we are hearing I think there is a lot of interest and there will be a large number of candidates in this election process."
Asked about the number of new voters who have so far applied for registration on the electoral roll, the DG of the Ministry of Interior said the process is ongoing, he would not want to give a number since the process ends on December 27.
Interest is increasing after the Ministry of Interior
It seems that even with the campaign run by the Ministry of Interior but due to the fact that an online platform has been operated, the number of citizens registering on the electoral roll is increasing daily. To date there is much more interest than there was in previous months. Interest is increasing as we get closer to the date when the deadline for registration on the electoral roll expires, he said.
Asked about the number of polling centres that will operate abroad, Constantinou said that in order to know how many centres there will be, the deadline for submitting declarations of intention to vote abroad should expire. At the moment it is certain based on previous procedures that there will be centres in Greece and the UK. Which cities in Greece and which cities in the United Kingdom will operate will be seen in the process, he said.
He also said that it is definitely expected that some other European countries such as Germany and some Arab cities such as Dubai will operate polling centres.
Once the deadline for registering voters to vote abroad expires, the Interior Ministry will issue a notice to inform in which cities those who have registered will be able to vote abroad,
he said.
Turkish Cypriots in the free areas have the right to vote
In response to another question, Mr. Constantinou said that Turkish Cypriots who are registered and residing in the free areas have the right to vote under the electoral law and will vote as all other registered voters on the electoral roll do. The number is a few hundred, he said.
Source: CNA
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
