Coronavirus: Mobile voting units for those with virus

Parliament on Monday discussed a draft legislation on how to allow Covid-19 confirmed cases who are self-isolating to vote in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Despite the pandemic, Cyprus will proceed with the scheduled parliamentary elections on May 30, with traditional voting process that foresees voters’ physical presence at polling stations.

To accommodate those infected with the virus, the government submitted a proposal regarding mobile voting boxes which was unanimously adopted by the House interior committee on Monday.

The bill is expected to be submitted for final approval.

It concerns people who are self-isolating at home and those being treated in hospital.

“In this way we ensure a right important for every citizen and we hope that everyone will take advantage of this opportunity,” committee president Eleni Mavrou told reporters after the meeting.

An online platform will be created for the submission of applications for those wishing to vote in the mobile ballot box.

Additional measures will be announced as part of a future health ministry decree for people who are close contacts, Mavrou added. Contacts will be expected to visit the polling stations following special arrangements.

Arrangements will also be made to accommodate the voting process for Greek Cypriots who live in the north.

Inviting the public to exercise their right to vote, Mavrou said that the appropriate measures will be adopted to prevent the spread of coronavirus at the voting stations.

Ruling party Disy’s MP Xenia Constantinou welcomed the proposal saying it is a measure adopted by other European countries as well and the government included the recommendations of the Personal Data Commissioner Irene Loizidou Nikolaidou.

Other MPs however expressed some hesitation regarding the mobile ballots, as a novel practice that will be implemented for the first time in Cyprus.

Cyprus has approximately 557,000 registered voters, with about 15,000 people having registered