«National Elections» abandon the requirement of «identity» to vote abroad

The National Election Commission (NEC) has announced that it is obligatory to hold citizens who are members of electoral bodies outside the country an official ID card issued by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship to vote in the FNC 2019 elections, which are starting this morning at 118 embassies and diplomatic missions The State, replacing it with a copy of the identity and the origin of the passport, to facilitate the process of voting on students, patients and travelers abroad, who may not hold identity cards with them.

In conjunction with the start of the voting process abroad, which continues throughout the day and tomorrow, candidates intensified their propaganda campaigns for citizens abroad.

In detail, the State Embassy in New Zealand opens the polling process at 2 am UAE time (10 am Wellington time), followed by the UAE Embassy in Australia at 4 am UAE time (10 am Canberra time) and the UAE Embassy in New Zealand. Japan, at 5 am UAE time (10 am Tokyo time), while voting begins at the UAE Consulate in Los Angeles, US, at 9 pm today UAE time (10 am Los Angeles time).

According to the National Elections Commission, the process of voting abroad in coordination and cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will continue today and tomorrow, according to the electoral timetable, where the election day for voting outside the country extends from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm local time for the countries where the polling stations are located, It is possible to continue the voting process after 6:00 pm, if it is found that there are voters in the voting hall who did not cast their votes, until they are finished, and then the head of the embassy or consulate committee announces the end of the election process.

The Minister of Health and Community Protection, Minister of State for National Council Affairs and Chairman of the National Elections Committee, Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, announced that the National Elections Committee decided to exclude the voter abroad from presenting the original identity card, and only a copy of it with the presentation of the passport or any official document containing the voter's image. , As part of an effort to facilitate voting outside the country for students, patients, and travelers who may not have identity cards.

Al Owais stressed that opening the door to vote outside the state aims to ensure broader participation in the electoral process, by enabling various members of electoral bodies, including those outside the country to work, study or any other tasks, to participate in the elections of the Federal National Council 2019 and exercise their electoral right to choose Their representatives carry their cases and needs to the corridors of the Council.

He said: `` The keenness of the UAE nationals abroad who are members of electoral bodies to participate in the electoral process, based on their loyalty and national affiliation, necessitated the provision of preparations to ensure the full readiness of the electoral centers in diplomatic missions '', praising the concerted efforts between the National Elections Commission 2019 and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation To ensure the readiness of voting centers scattered around the world and to ensure the transparency, fairness and accuracy of the electoral process and its smooth and regular operation according to the best standards.

The NEC website provides more information and details for members of the electoral bodies, on the addresses of the country's diplomatic missions abroad, voting centers distributed at the UAE embassies and the headquarters of the UAE diplomatic missions around the world, and other details of interest to voters from the mechanisms and procedures of voting and participation in the electoral process.

The NEC stated that during the electoral process, the ambassador or consul, or his representative, shall assume the duties of the head of the electoral center within the embassy or consulate of the state, to ensure the availability of technical and regulatory procedures required in the system of voting adopted before the start of the election process, and the issuance of a signed official record. Closing the ballot The President of the Committee shall send the minutes of the end of the election process and close the Center to the Election Commission after signing it, in addition to all the records, documents, papers and covenants used in the electoral process.

5 cases invalidate the electoral vote abroad

The National Elections Commission has identified five cases, one of which results in invalidating the electoral vote in the voting outside the State, including votes suspended on a condition, in which more than one candidate is confirmed, votes fixed on the ballot paper and stamped with the seal of the polling station committee, and votes bearing any sign indicating The identity of the voter or indicate it, and the papers that have abrasion or cancellation, and those that do not include a reference to cast an electoral vote.

In conjunction with the start of the voting process abroad, today, propaganda campaigns for the candidates of the Federal National Council elections, the third week, amid the focus of a number of candidates to address their propaganda letters to citizens abroad, urging members of electoral bodies to participate positively in the vote, and promote their programs and pledges Electoral.

Candidates intensified the presentation of their most prominent points on the social media platforms for elections, in videos devoted to voters abroad, in an attempt to woo and attract their electoral votes, while others only broadcast videos indicating the locations of embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions of the State abroad, and the specific time and documents allowed for the process Vote.