What is the cause of the confusion in Sydney about the polling stations?!

Dolly Bachaalani – home

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants is making the necessary preparations and equipment to secure the voting of Lebanese non-residents on Lebanese territory, next Friday, May 6 for voters residing in Arab countries, and on Sunday, May 8 for residents of Western countries, whose number is, according to those who registered to vote, and whose applications were accepted due to their fulfillment. Required legal conditions: 225,114 voters, out of 3,967,507 voters, according to the final figures issued by the Directorate of Personal Status in the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities. It was objected to how the Consul General in Sydney Charbel Macaroon distributed the registered voters to the polling stations and polling stations. She was not asking other parties, with the aim of providing appropriate conditions and relatively good weather, in Lebanon and the countries of expansion, despite its differences from one country to another.

Well-informed diplomatic circles denied what some are trying to provoke in the media regarding the fact that Consul Macaron “intended” to specify multiple polling stations for members of the same family, because this claim carries a veiled accusation that he wants by his behavior to obstruct the voting of some voters, stressing that the Consulate General in Sydney has strictly implemented the instructions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants.

The circles clarified that the issue of distributing voters to polling stations in foreign countries is not entrusted to the ambassadors and diplomats of these countries, as much as they implement the instructions placed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in this regard, following the provisions of the current Election Law No. 44 issued on June 17, 2017. She pointed out that the ministry divided the registered voters geographically, according to the Zip Code, meaning the postal codes used in Australia, and as issued by the registrars for voting abroad. For everyone who registered in a specific area, his polling station was determined in the same area or in the area closest to his place of residence.

The same circles confirmed that the voters wishing to vote were asked to fill out the required registration forms, and to put the residence address and the zip code.. Therefore, if some of them fill in their place of residence and zip code, contrary to what they are in reality, this intentional or unintended mistake is not the responsibility of the Consulate. The public in Sydney, nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, but the voters themselves, who did not have to give false information regarding their whereregardings.

The circles say that the Consulate General in Sydney distributed 17,000 registered voters to 9 polling stations and 47 polling stations, according to the information it received in the forms, related to housing address and postal code, and it was not able to verify the credibility of the latter. In the event that members of the same family register according to different residential addresses and postal codes, it is natural and logical for them to vote in different polling stations and stations. There is no need, then, to object or to raise confusion over an obvious issue.

The same circles reported that the “Foreign Affairs” will send five diplomats along with the staff at the Consulate General to accompany the electoral process in Australia, given the large number of voters registered to vote. She stressed that embassies and diplomatic missions in foreign countries are doing their best to facilitate the process of voters casting their votes, and help them solve their problems before election day. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs encourages them, wherever they are, to communicate and interact with Lebanese embassies and missions in their countries of residence to ensure the success and smooth conduct of the electoral process on its scheduled constitutional dates.

The circles pointed out that the voters who registered in countries abroad, and the Foreign Ministry did not work to open polling stations for them, is because Article 116 of the Election Law, which talks regarding “designating polling stations,” stipulates that “the number of voters who are entitled to exercise the right to vote in each embassy.” Or a consulate, so that each of them must specify a polling station or more than one in case the number of registered voters in the center exceeds four hundred.” This means that if the mentioned number is not available, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cannot open a polling station. Accordingly, it was found that there are 2,740 voters who registered are not entitled to vote abroad, given that the number of registered voters in the polling station is less than 200, and therefore their names were included on the electoral lists inside Lebanon.

The same circles clarified that in implementation of the provisions of the second paragraph of Article 117 of Chapter 11 of the Electoral Law, which states that “it is permissible for candidates to have representatives during the polling procedures, following they obtain permits issued by the embassy or consulate,” and since a large number of polling stations It includes several electoral districts, according to what is permitted or permitted by the conditions and the possibility of accommodating each polling station. Each candidate or list has been allowed a number of delegates. The number of delegates was determined as follows:

1- At most one fixed representative for each candidate or list for each polling station, and according to the distribution of districts to the polling station, meaning that the delegate is accredited in the polling station if his mandate includes the candidate or list for the constituency in the same polling station.

2- One traveling delegate for each list for every 3 polling stations (in polling stations that have more than three polling stations only).

Provided that the door for submitting and giving permits to delegates shall be opened as soon as the missions are informed of the official decision issued by the Minister of Interior and Municipalities, which specifies the polling stations and polling stations. Only the head of the mission, whether he is an ambassador, a charge d’affaires or a consul general, has the right to issue permits to delegates, by filling out and signing the permit according to the form sent to the missions. That is why candidates and lists are required to expedite the request for delegates’ permits, or else they will not be able to be inside the polling stations.

The circles confirmed that the field is still open for any inquiries from voters abroad, and that each of them will be able to view electronically the polling station and station assigned to him to vote on election day.