A new counting process will begin next week, but this time at the Central Counting and Results Center. This concerns the counting of conditional votes and votes from abroad.
The spokesperson for the CEC, Valmir Elezi, stated that after completing all procedures, which include scanning the voter lists signed at regular polling stations to compare with voters from conditional polling stations, and evaluating the packages with ballots from voting abroad, the CEC will start counting conditional votes, votes from persons with special needs, and votes from voting abroad.
He announced that the number of envelopes with ballots from conditional polling stations is 12,801, which will also undergo verification. Meanwhile, the number of votes from persons with special needs is 2,597 votes.
Asked about other procedures, after the completion of counting at 38 Municipal Counting Centers, he explained that election materials from polling stations, which include the voter lists signed by citizens who voted, will be sent to the Central Counting and Results Center.
“One of the tasks done at this center is the scanning of the voter lists signed in 2,533 regular polling stations on election day. Scanning the voter lists from regular polling stations is essential before we start counting votes from conditional polling stations because it helps us ensure that no one has voted twice, once in the regular polling station and once in the conditional polling station. After these processes are completed, we can begin the counting of conditional votes, votes from persons with special needs, and votes from abroad,” he explained.
Furthermore, Elezi stated what activities are currently being carried out by the CEC.
“Currently, the CEC is evaluating the packages with ballots from voting abroad, specifically from postal voting. From February 9, when the evaluation or verification of the packages with ballots from voting abroad started until February 20, 48,018 packages have been processed, of which 45,004 have been approved, while 3,014 have been rejected. The reason for the rejection is that they were sent by persons who were canceled during registration as voters abroad, they lacked a registration certificate, were sent more than once, included multiple ballots, etc.,” Elezi continued for RTKlive.
He mentioned that 20,938 more packages with ballots will also undergo the evaluation process.
“According to the procedures, the packages with ballots are subject to an evaluation process, which includes verifying if they belong to registered voters and if other procedures were followed. In total, during the registration period, out of 104,924 citizens registered to vote abroad, 84,600 were registered to vote by mail, and 20,324 were registered for physical voting at diplomatic missions. Of the 20,324 at diplomatic missions, 15,352 voters voted, while for mail-in voting, the CEC has received about 69,000 packages with ballots.”
