Published: 20.03.2023.

! In view of the amendments to the Law adopted by the Saeima, local government elections in the Madona municipality WILL TAKE PLACE on 5 June, the early voting only in this electoral district will be held - on June 3 from 16:00 to 20:00 and on 4 June from 11:00 to 20:00.

! In Rēzekne municipality and Varakļāni municipality elections have been cancelled! Elections in these electoral districts are scheduled for September 11, 2021.

APPROVED

by the Central Election Commission

Decision No 11 of 18 March 2021

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

for the Prevention of Infection Covid-19 at Polling Stations

in the Elections of Local Government Councils in 2021

The Recommendations have been prepared on the basis of Cabinet Regulation No. 360 adopted on 9 June 2020 “Epidemiological Safety Measures for the Containment of the Spread of COVID-19 Infection”, which lays down the basic principles and precautionary measures for the containment of the spread of COVID-19 infection, as well as the requirements and restrictions for gathering.

The aim of the recommendations is to implement epidemiological security measures to limit the virus infection Covid-19 in the elections of Local Government Councils in 2021.

  1. Do not site polling stations in buildings where the most vulnerable groups of Covid-19 infections reside – in medical institutions and social care institutions.
  2. Ensure that pre-schoolers, pupils, students are not present in pre-school educational institutions and educational institutions, where polling stations are located, during the time when the polling stations are open to voters.
  3. On both the election day and the early voting days, place polling stations in possibly larger premises with good ventilation and the possibility of regular airing.
  4. The polling station commission, in consultation with the local government election commission, shall determine the maximum number of persons allowed at the same time in the premises of the polling station, taking into account that at least 4 m2 of the area of the polling station’s space is provided per person.
  5. A single visitor is allowed at the same time in the premises of the polling station where it is not possible to comply with paragraph 1.4.
  1. At the entrance to the building, where the polling station is located, and in the polling station display information on the security measures to be followed when staying in the polling station:
    1. an indication regarding the number of visitors allowed at the same time at the polling station;
    2. warning signs indicating that persons to whom self-isolation, home quarantine or strict isolation applies, or who have symptoms of a respiratory infection may not come in the polling station;
    3. warning signs regarding keeping the distance of 2 metres;
    4. a warning regarding the obligation to use the mouth and nose cover and an indication regarding the correct use of the mouth and nose cover (covering both the mouth and nose).
    5. information (indications) regarding the necessity of hands disinfection.
  2. In the premises of the polling station, as well as in the toilet rooms, to place information with a reminder regarding compliance with hygiene requirements:
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with dirty hands.
  1. At the entrance to the polling station premises, place hand disinfectants in a visible and accessible place for voters. Invite voters and election observers to disinfect their hands before and after visiting the precinct.
  2. Ensure the possibility for members and employees of polling stations commissions to perform hand hygiene. The disinfectant must be readily available at the workplace in order to allow the hand to be disinfected immediately after possible contact with the voter.
  3. Place face protective masks in a visible and accessible place for voters before entering the polling station. Point out to voters that the use of mouth and nose masks at the polling station is mandatory.
  4. Don’t allow persons to be in the polling station without their mouths and nose covering. Mouth and nose covers need not be used by children under the age of 7 years and persons with obvious movement impairments or mental health disorders due to which the person lacks capacity or skills to use mouth and nose covers.
  5. When arranging places for voter registration, provide a 2-meter distance between registration desks. If possible, it is recommended to equip places for voter registration with physical protective barriers.
  6. Call voters for using their own writing implements in the polling station. If the voter does not have such an option, issue a pen intended only for the respective voter. In case of re-use of writing implements, they should be disinfected before being issued to voters.
  7. When arranging places for election observers, provide a 2-meter distance between the observer places.
  8. Regulate voter flow, prevent crowding and the presence of unauthorised persons at the polling station:
    1. follow that voters, while waiting for registration, keep the 2-metre distance between themselves and the surroundings;
    2. on the floor of the polling station premises or otherwise mark a distance of 2 metres to be kept by voters while waiting in line for registration;
    3. place instructions in the polling station premises indicating the direction of the flow of voters;
    4. if more voters have arrived at the polling station than it is acceptable taking into account the possibility to keep the distance of 2 metres in the premises, the voter’s line shall be formed outside the premises of the polling station, near the building where the polling station is located.
  9. To invite more vulnerable voters’ groups (voters over the age of 65, voters with health problems) to vote in hours when there are not many visitors at polling stations.
  10. When registering voters in the polling station, in the form of the list of voters participated indicate the starting and ending time of filling out the form.
  11. Avoid the use of fabric materials in the equipment of polling booths. Place the screens and polling booths without curtain in such a way that the secrecy of the vote is ensured, by locating the entrance or open part against a wall or against the closed part of an adjacent booth.
  12. Place a wastebasket in each polling booth or compartment. Place an additional container for discarding used face masks at the exit of polling station.
  13. Ventilate the polling station premises for at least 15 minutes at least once an hour.
  14. During the work of the polling station, regularly clean high-touch surfaces – doorknobs, tabletops, chair armrests, surfaces at toilets, etc. with the use of disinfectants (e.g. 70% ethanol, 0.5% sodium hypochlorite). Carry out cleaning with disinfection also after the polling station has finished its work.
  1. Avoid the presence of members of the polling station commission and employees subject to conditions of self-isolation, quarantine or strict isolation. Before commencing work at the polling station, each member of the electoral commission and the employee shall sign a statement that he or she is not subject to the above conditions and has no symptoms of respiratory infection.
  2. Preventing people with symptoms of respiratory infection from participating in organisation of elections at polling stations or home voting.
  3. The City or Municipal Election Commission:
    1. when forming polling station commissions, to provide at least three reserve employees for each polling station – performers of the duties of members of the polling station commission (hereinafter – reservists);
    2. to prepare a plan for the reporting and immediate involvement of reservists in the ensuring of electoral process, if, on early voting days or on the election day, members or employees of the polling station commission may not be present at the workplace due to sickness;
    3. to provide the training of reservoirs.
  4. During the work of the polling station, to provide members and employees of the polling station commission with personal protective equipment:
    1. medical face masks or respirators;
    2. hand disinfectants;
    3. other personal protective equipment in accordance with paragraphs 3.5 and 4.4 of this Recommendation.
  5. The members of the polling station commission and the employees involved in the counting of votes shall be provided with rubber gloves.
  6. Minimise the number of surfaces and objects for shared use in the polling station, ensuring that the same employees use surfaces and objects (e.g. desks, touch screens, computers, keyboards, computer mice, paper, etc.) as far as possible.
  7. During the work of the polling station, perform regular disinfection of work surfaces, touch screens, computer keyboards and computer mice using alcohol-based disinfectants. Carry out cleaning of these equipment also after the polling station has finished its work.
  8. Organise catering for members of the polling station commission and employees in agreement with the catering service provider regarding the receipt of individual portions in closed disposable containers. Keep a 2 meters distance from the others during meals.
  1. When receiving applications from voters to organise voting at the location of voters, note whether or not the voter is in self-isolation or quarantine because of Covid-19 infection or the risks of infection.
  2. Take special precautionary measures when going to the voters:
    1. if possible, to appoint for visiting voters at their location members of the electoral commission who have good health and who have received a vaccine against virus infection Covid-19;
    2. when arriving at the voter's location, communicate with the voter by telephone, explain the voting procedure;
    3. ascertain, on the basis of a personal identification document, whether the person is a voter and whether there is no mark in the voter register regarding the voter's participation in elections;
    4. place election materials (an individual form in which the voter signs regarding the receipt of election materials, a sealed ballot envelope, a set of ballot papers) in an easily accessible place for the voter (for example, at the door of the apartment);
    5. when the voter has taken election materials:
      1. make a note in the voter register regarding the issuance of voting materials or, if this is not possible, to prepare and issue to the voter a registration envelope;
      2. place a ballot box outside the door of the voter's residence;
    6. when the voter fills out the election materials, ask the voter to present the signed individual form. A voter puts election materials and an individual form into the ballot box. A member of the polling station commission notes on the voters' list for voting at the voter's location that the voter has voted and signed the voters’ list form.
  3. When organising voting at the location of voters, as far as possible keep 2 meters distance, sanitize your hands with alcohol-based disinfectants regularly (before and after arrival and during the stay, if necessary), avoid touching surfaces touched by the voter.
  4. If to ensure voting, it is necessary to stay in the premises of the voter’s location, use a respirator, protective coat, rubber gloves and, if possible, close-fitting safety glasses.
  5. Ensure voting in hospitals and social care institutions in cooperation with the management of the institution and in compliance with the quarantine restrictions and health protection measures imposed by the institution.