Additional list drawn of 270 polling stations abroad for November presidential election

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) on Friday submitted to the Standing Electoral Authority (AEP) an additional list of 270 polling stations abroad that add to 444 already approved places. MAE has so far put forth 714 polling stations that will be organised abroad for the presidential election, according to a MAE press statement. The diplomatic missions and consular offices continue the efforts to identify suitable places and get the agreement of the host country or of the local authorities. From conversations with the heads of missions, MAE is estimating that in this November poll to elect Romania's president over 800 polling stations will be set up abroad. Countries in which most of these polling stations will be set up include Spain (148), Italy (142), Germany (84), the United Kingdom (73), France (48), the US (38), the Republic of Moldova (36), Belgium (23), the Netherlands (22), Ireland (16), Denmark (12), Austria (11), Greece (11), Portugal (9), and Switzerland (8). The legal deadline for submitting to the AEP proposals for polling stations abroad is October 19. Under Law 370/2004 for the election of the President of Romania, as republished and subsequently amended and supplemented, MAE is entrusted with administrative and organisational responsibilities in the preparation and conduct of the voting process abroad. Thus, MAE submits proposals for setting up polling stations abroad, and AEP adopts or updates, as the case may be, the list of polling stations abroad within 3 days of each communication. The election of the President of Romania abroad will take place over three days, for each poll, namely November 8, 9 and 10, for the first round, and November 22, 23 and 24, for the second round. Romanians abroad who have registered online can also vote by mail. According to the official portal www.votstrainatate.ro, a number of 43,003 Romanians living abroad have chosen this alternative. (RO - author: Oana Ghita, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)