CEMI - Centar za monitoring i istraživanje

18.5% voters used their electoral right until 11 AM

15. Apr. 2018. in news

According to data of the Center for Monitoring and Research (CeMI), 18.5% voters used their electoral right until 11 AM, as reported from this

organization.

CeMI’s PR coordinator Teodora Gilic, announced that 20.3% of voters from Podgorica used their electoral right until 9 AM this morning, 22.1% from the central region not including Podgorica, 15.4% from the South, and 17.2% from the North.

According to what she said during the electoral process a certain number of irregularities has been spotted

“At the polling station 11 from Rozaje voters’ electronic identification device was not working due to lack of electricity. The polling board continued the voting process by using visual identification until 8.15h; At the polling station 62 in Bar voters’ electronic identification device was not working. The polling board continued the voting process by using visual identification.” Gilic stated.

She said that at the polling station 6B president of the polling board said a voters’ name out loud during identification, which violated secrecy of voting i.e. Art 69 of the Law on the Election of Councilors and MPs.

“In Niksic, at the polling station 138, two voters simultaneously voted within the same polling booth and communicated about who they voted for out loud, which is a gross violation of the electoral procedure and voting secrecy.”, Gilic added.

“CeMI’s observers recorded three cases of voting secrecy violation at the polling station no. 82A in Podgorica. “Namely, voters simultaneously voted in the same polling booth, thus violated the electoral process. In Niksic at the polling station no 138 a voter voted in front of the polling board, and the ballot was not declared invalid, but inserted into the ballot box.

At polling stations 1 (Mojkovac 1), 2 (Mojkovac 2), 17 (Brskovo), 18 (Mojkovac 3), 19 (Mojkovac 4), 21 (Bojna Njiva) in Mojkovac the election office of Mladen Bojanic from Mojkovac informed us that cameras were placed at the polling stations named.

“CeMI calls on all political parties, presidential candidates and citizens to continue to provide us with information on identified irregularities during the Election Day.” Gilic stated.

She added that all noted irregularities, turn out percentages, as well as all other pieces of information related to presidential elections, can be found on the web site www.izbori2018.me  „We invite all citizens to report irregularities to CeMI’s legal team by calling the number 077 600 061“, said Gilic.

She reminded the public that in the parliamentary elections in 2016, voting turn out until 11 AM amounted to 20.7%, and in the 2012 parliamentary

elections, 18.2%.

“When we compare voters turn outs from previous elections by regions, the percentages are as follows: in the central region not including Podgorica,

the turnout in the parliamentary elections in 2016 was 25%, which is 2.9 percent more than today’s turn out. In the parliamentary elections in 2012 voters’ turn out amounted to 20.5%, “which is 1.6 percent less than today” she added.

“In the 2016 elections, 21.5% of voters from Podgorica used their voting right, whilst in 2012 that percentage was 19.3; 16.7% of voters from the south voted in 2016, which is 1.3% more than today, while in 2012 the turnout was 15.5%; In the northern region 2016 turnout was 20.9%, while in the

2012 parliamentary elections this percentage amounted to 18.1 ” Gilic said.

Gilic concluded with reminding the public that CEMI’s monitoring mission has 1340 observers distributed in 90% of polling stations.

“During the Election Day CeMI will have regular press conferences by which we will inform citizens on voters’ turn out, irregularities, voting trends as well as results’ estimations after polling stations’ closure. In addition, pieces of information will be available and regularly updated on the web site www.izbori2018.me as well as CeMI’s official Facebook and Twitter pages.”

Data on the voters’ turn out until 13 PM will be announced at the press conference scheduled for 13:15 PM.

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