(Theophilos Georgiades Auditorium, Press and Information Office)
Good morning and thank you very much for your response to attend today's press conference, providing an opportunity to convey through you important information to voters regarding the election process for the next President of the Republic.
With me today is the Assistant Registrar General, as well as the Election Registrars, who together with their staffs have made a great contribution to the preparations for the elections and for this I thank them all warmly.
We are in the final phase of the electoral process, an effort that began months ago by the Ministry of Interior, with hard work by all the Provincial Administrations and many other departments of the State. Thus, today I believe that we are all ready to successfully respond to the mission entrusted to us by the state.
The legal framework, on the basis of which the elections will be held, consists of the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as the Law on the Election of the President and Vice President of the Republic, the Law on the Election of Members of the House of Representatives and the Regulations on the Election of Members of the House of Representatives.
As you know, the announcement of the elections was made on 23 December 2022, while on 27 December 2022 the electoral list, on the basis of which the elections will be held, was closed.
On the same date, the filing of registration to vote in foreign cities was completed, and nominations were submitted on January 5, 2023.
Thus, on Sunday, February 5, 2023, the next presidential election will be held, and in the event that no candidate receives 50% plus one of the valid votes, then a runoff election will be held on the following Sunday, February 12, 2023.
Thus, on Sunday, February 5, 2023, the next presidential election will be held, and if no candidate receives 50% plus one of the valid votes, then a runoff election will be held on the following Sunday, February 12, 2023.
In preparing for the conduct of the 2023 Presidential Election, we have placed great importance on the use of digital technology.
In particular, the Department of Information Technology Services has developed an online application service for voter registration, which in the first stage covers our citizens up to the age of 25. Until the next elections, this service will be available for all age groups and categories of applications to the electoral roll.
An electronic submission service for the exercise of the right to vote in foreign cities was developed, as well as an electronic submission service for the declaration of interest in staffing polling stations.
A system was also developed to inform the Presiding Officers, in order to release them from their polling stations, after sending and checking the election results This number is slightly higher than that of the 2018 Presidential Elections, which was 10,410, but significantly lower than that of the 2021 Parliamentary Elections, which was 15,168.
Taking these figures into account, on 22.01.01.2023 the distribution of all voters to the local polling stations was completed.
The total number of persons eligible to vote in the upcoming Presidential Elections is 561,033. This number includes 730 Turkish Cypriots.
In addition, 240 stranded persons, 47 in the Nicosia constituency and 193 in the Famagusta constituency, are entitled to vote.
For the purposes of voting, 1,148 polling stations will operate, of which 1,113 centres in 5 Electoral Districts in Cyprus and 35 centres abroad, in 25 cities, in 12 countries.
The Nicosia District has the largest number of registered voters, namely 215,772 voters, followed by Limassol with 154,778, Larnaca with 95,518, Paphos with 51,994 and the free Famagusta with 32,625.
Another 10,346 of our fellow citizens chose to vote at the centres that will operate abroad.
I note that the number of registered voters has increased by 10,397, compared to the 2018 Presidential elections.
Of the total number of registered voters, 285,004, or 50.8% are women and 276,029, or 49.2% are men.
13.8% of voters are between 18 and 29 years old, 50.4% between 30 and 59 years old and 35.8% between 60 and over.
As I have reported, new registrations on the electoral roll in the last quarter amount to 10,558, of which 4,144 are in Nicosia and 2,971 in Limassol, where most of the new voters are distributed.
The total number of polling stations is 1,148, of which 415 are in Nicosia, 323 in Limassol, 185 in Larnaca, 133 in Paphos, 57 in Famagusta and another 35 will operate abroad.
Polling Centres abroad will operate in 25 cities, namely:
In Greece, centres will operate in Athens (5), Volos, Heraklion, Thessaloniki (3), Ioannina, Komotini, Larissa, Patras and Rethymnon,
In the United Kingdom, centres will operate in Glasgow, Leeds, London (5), Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol, as well as Berlin, Vienna, Brussels, New York, Dubai, Luxembourg, Paris, Sofia, Stockholm and The Hague.
The Polling Centre with the largest number of voters is the Eleneio Primary School, Centre A', in Nicosia with 716 registered voters and the smallest in Paleomylos Limassol, with 48 voters.
The 301 prisoners will be able to vote in a special ballot box inside the prisons, which will be mixed with the ballot box at the Department of Planning and Zoning.
730 Turkish Cypriots who have a permanent address in the free areas will also be able to vote in the elections.
A total of 14 candidates are participating in the elections, which is the largest number in the history of the Presidential Elections.
A total of 14 candidates are participating in the elections, which is the largest number in the history of the Presidential Elections.
Of these, three are party candidates and 11 are independent candidates.
A total of 8,046 officials, police officers and unemployed graduates will work for the purpose of conducting the elections.
Specifically, 5,396 officials will work at polling stations, of which 1,148 are presiding officers and 4,248 are assistant officers. There will also be 635 employees working in the Electoral Registries and 2,015 Police Officers.
Each polling station will be staffed by a Presiding Officer and two to four Assistants, depending on the number of registered voters, while a Police Officer will also serve at each polling station.
The personnel who will staff the polling stations have received appropriate training, both in terms of the electoral process and the health protocol.
The personnel who will staff the polling stations have received appropriate training, both in terms of the electoral process and the health protocol.
All information concerning the forthcoming presidential elections has been posted on the special election website, which operates at elections.gov.cy.
The announcements issued by the Office of the Chief Election Commissioner are posted on this website on an almost daily basis, and the statements of the Chief Election Commissioner will also be posted on election day.
A telephone information service for the public has been launched. The service operates on weekdays from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.
Citizens can also call the nationwide number 77772212 for information about the polling station where they are voting, the voting hours and for replacement of a voter's booklet due to damage or loss.
Voters can also find out about the polling station where they are voting by telephone, internet and by sending an SMS text message.
The Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with the Press and Information Office, has been conducting campaigns to encourage voter registration and participation in the elections.
The voting hours are specified in the law and are from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with a one-hour break between 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m.
The voting hours of polling stations abroad have been adjusted accordingly, so that they too will close at the same time as polling stations operating in the Republic.
Voting hours at a polling station can only be extended if there continues to be a large turnout of voters.
The President of the Republic, the former President of the Republic, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Leaders of the Parliamentary Parties and the candidates for election to the office of President of the Republic will exercise their right to vote on the basis of a schedule prepared by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, in consultation with them, in order to give television stations and journalists the opportunity to cover the event.
In such cases, there will be only a RIK television crew inside the Election Centre, which will make the picture available to the other stations.
There will also be a photographer from the Press and Information Office only, who will also make the pictures available.
Statements will be able to be made outside polling stations, subject to the restrictions laid down by law, with all channels being able to receive them.
Candidate representatives may attend local polling stations for the purpose of supervising the voting process.
One representative per candidate may attend each polling station.
Candidates' representatives are entitled to wear the candidate's emblem, which must be removed when exercising their right to vote.
All persons registered on the electoral roll shall be entitled to vote on presentation of a voter's booklet or identity card of the Republic of Cyprus.
Our internally displaced persons may vote, at certain polling stations, by presenting any official document of the Republic bearing their photograph.
Internally displaced persons, who on election day will be close to their relatives in the free areas, may be granted authorization to vote at a polling station in that area, after informing the office of the Chief Election Commissioner.
Polling station employees will vote with authorization at the polling station where they will be working, presenting a voter's booklet or identity card.
The new voters' voter books, which were not received, are now at their respective Provincial Administrations, where they can be picked up, even on election day.
Re-issuance of voter books, due to damage or loss, will be done by the Provincial Administrations until Saturday 04.02.2023, at 1:00 p.m.
Re-issuance of an identity card, due to its loss, is no longer possible on the same day, as a declaration of loss of identity card to the Police and an affidavit certified by the Registrar is required. Consequently, no replacement ID cards can now be issued.
The ballot papers were printed by the Government Printing Office on security paper and have already been placed in the ballot boxes, which are being handed over to the Presiding Officers today.
To exercise their right to vote, voters need only mark one of the permitted signs, namely "x" or "+" or "√", in the rectangle below the candidate's photograph.
A blind voter or a person with a physical disability may vote himself, if he wishes, or with the assistance of a person in his absolute confidence or with the assistance of the Presiding Officer, in the presence of an Assistant Clerk.
In this case, the Assistant Clerk must be a different person each time.
A voter with a physical disability may be escorted to the entrance of the polling station. From the entrance onwards, the Presiding Officer shall take over.
To be valid, the ballot papers must bear the official stamp of the election on the outside.
A ballot paper shall be considered valid when the voter marks within the rectangle below the photograph of the candidate of his choice one of the signs "X" or "+" or "√", or any other sign resembling them, with a blue or black pen.
The Presiding Officer shall reject as invalid any ballot paper:
-which does not bear the official stamp,
-on which the voter has voted for more than one candidate,
-which contains any letter or mark by which the identity of the voter can be ascertained,
-which is missing any essential part or which is incomplete, and
-in which it is impossible to ascertain the will of the voter.
A blank ballot paper is invalid because it is impossible to ascertain the will of the voter, but shall be counted and recorded separately from other invalid ballots for statistical purposes.
A ballot paper is also invalid when:
-The voter has voted with a pen of any colour other than blue or black pens,
-The voter has voted on the face of the candidate or on the emblem or on any other point, other than the space within the column beneath the photograph of the candidate of his choice,
-and where the elector has marked any other sign or letter or number other than the specified "X" or "+" or "√" signs.
Such instructions were given to the Presiding Officers that where the will of the voter can be ascertained and at the same time the secrecy of the ballot is ensured, the ballots shall be counted as valid.
The sorting and counting of votes will take place at the polling stations themselves, immediately after the close of voting.
And in this process, candidates or their representatives are permitted to be present, but not to be involved with the ballots.
Candidates' representatives are also not permitted to carry pens or other stationery, or to take any notes during the tabulation of votes.
At the end of the process, they will have the opportunity, if they wish, to record the results.
No unauthorized persons are allowed to enter the polling station, nor the media, except in cases where permission is granted by the Chief Electoral Officer.
The elections will be held on the basis of a health protocol, drawn up in cooperation with the Ministry of Health.
This protocol provides that persons who are positive cases of Covid-19, and who are registered on the electoral roll, shall exceptionally be allowed, on election day, to go to the polling station to exercise their right to vote during the same hours as the rest of the population.
The use of a protective mask is also compulsory for coronavirus patients, as well as for persons who will be present at the polling station throughout the voting and/or sorting and counting of votes, i.e. employees and representatives of the candidates.
It is recommended that all other voters wear protective masks.
It is also recommended that a rapid antigen self test for Covid-19 disease be conducted by all polling station employees and candidate representatives on the day before the election.
There will also be frequent cleaning and disinfection of common items, smooth surfaces and voting booths and disinfection and reuse of pens.
Voting booths will not be curtained and will be placed facing the wall to ensure the secrecy of the voting process.
Finally, voters' hands will be disinfected as they enter and exit the polling station.
Election rallies and activities will end tonight at midnight.
Publication of poll results directly or indirectly related to the election is prohibited 7 days before the election date.
Tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday of the election, political advertisements, statements and events directly or indirectly related to the election are prohibited.
Candidate advertisements on billboards, in headquarters or other places shall be removed or covered, except at headquarters in each District, where removal of any advertisements posted therein is not required.
Sending election emails to citizens' mobile phones or otherwise should be avoided, as this action also constitutes a violation of the law.
Modern technology should not be used to influence voters.
It is clarified that the provisions of the law also apply in the case of electronic/internet advertisements. For this purpose, a special team has been set up in the Press and Information Office to monitor compliance with the provisions of the legislation.
On election day, the setting up of staff with tables and chairs outside polling stations is prohibited.
Comments, discussions and general influencing of voters inside and outside the polling station are also prohibited.
Broadcasting or publishing news or announcements directly or indirectly related to the election is prohibited, except for announcements or news broadcast by the Comptroller General of Elections.
Saturday newspapers may only publish news from today's election day rallies.
The legislation allows candidates to make statements to the media, after exercising their right to vote, outside the polling stations.
It is prohibited to publish exit poll results before the announcement by the General Election Commissioner that the polls have been properly closed in all polling stations.
The ceremony of the proclamation of the new President of the Republic is scheduled to take place at the closed Sports Hall "TASSOS PAPADOPOULOS - LIBERIA", at 10:00 on Sunday evening, after the release of the final results of the election.
The accreditation of media representatives. For the purposes of the ceremony, a special platform will be set up inside the stadium, from which the new President of the Republic will be proclaimed by the Chief Electoral Officer, as well as a second platform, which will host the media crews in the main arena of the stadium.
For the purposes of the ceremony, a special platform will be set up inside the stadium, from which the new President of the Republic will be proclaimed by the Chief Electoral Officer, as well as a second platform, which will host the media crews in the main arena of the stadium.
Preparations have been made so that, depending on the result, the proclamation ceremony can take place either on Sunday 5/2/2023, or after the repeat vote, on Sunday 12/2/2023, if there is no election on the first Sunday.
On election day, the seat of the Chief Election Commissioner will be at the Ministry of Interior and his Press Office will be located at the "Theophilos Georgiades" Auditorium of the Press and Information Office.
Media statements will be made at 7:05 a.m. at the start of voting, and then at 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m., and then in the afternoon at 1:15 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 5:15 p.m. and 6:05 p.m, at the close of voting.
A statement will also be made after the completion of the counting of votes and the release of the final results of the election.
Extraordinary statements will be made whenever necessary.
Extraordinary statements will be made whenever necessary.
In conclusion, I would like to thank again the Assistant Returning Officer for his important contribution, as well as the Returning Officers with their staffs, my colleagues at the Ministry of Interior, the Presiding Officers and their Assistants, the Cyprus Police, the Government Printing Office, the Press and Information Office, the Department of Information Technology Services, the Legal Service, the Ministry of Health, the Department of Electromechanical Services, as well as all services and officials who in any way contribute to the successful conduct of the elections.
I also thank the Minister of Interior Mr. Nikos Nouri for his confidence in appointing me as the Chief Electoral Officer, as well as for his support where needed.
Finally, I thank all of you for your attendance and I am at your disposal for any questions.
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