Voluntary isolation when returning from overseas Is there any measure to abandon voting at the Governor of Tokyo?

Voluntary isolation when returning from overseas Is there any measure to abandon voting at the Governor of Tokyo? July 1, 19:03

As a measure against the borderline of the new coronavirus, Japan requires people who have returned from abroad to voluntarily quarantine for two weeks at home. Under these circumstances, some people who returned to Japan gave up voting because the period of voluntary segregation overlaps with the Governor's election in Tokyo. I am.

A 28-year-old man living in Hachioji, Tokyo, is studying at a graduate school in Singapore from an adult and travels to and from Japan for research.

This time, the man stayed in Singapore this January and was planning to return to Japan in April, but the infection spread locally, so he waited for the situation to settle and returned to Japan on the 28th of last month.

I received a PCR test at the arrival Narita Airport and found that it was negative that day, but at the request of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, I voluntarily isolate myself at home.

I received a numbered admission ticket for the Tokyo Governor's election at my house, but both the early vote and the day of the vote on the 5th of this month overlap with the quarantine period.

Men voted for all the elections held so far and planned to vote for the Tokyo Governor's election as well, but the current system requires them to go directly to the polling place, and contact with other voters is unavoidable. I decided to give up the vote.

The man said, "The polling place is a gathering place for men and women of all ages, and it cannot be denied that staying in the same space can be a source of risk."
On top of that, he said, "I would be grateful if the voluntary quarantine could display their intentions and that other voters could have a system to vote with confidence."

Tokyo Metropolitan Government “Returnees' voting, not supposed to follow doctor's instructions”

Regarding the voting in the Tokyo Governor's election of returnees from abroad who are voluntarily isolated, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Election Commission cannot judge whether or not they can go out for voting from a medical and epidemiological point of view. I didn't expect to vote for someone, but it is premised on following the instructions of a doctor."

Tokyo has created guidelines for the prevention of new coronavirus infection before the election of the Governor of Tokyo, which will be voted on the 5th of this month, and calls on the municipalities in charge of voting to take thorough measures.

Among them, check with the public health center in advance about measures such as facility closure and disinfection when a new coronavirus infected person occurs at a polling place or pre-due polling place and barriers to prevent splash infection at the polling place. It is required to prevent the so-called 3 tightness and to thoroughly ventilate and disinfect alcohol.

If you more in Tokyo, one of the metropolitan area of infected people at the time of the June 30,
▽ at Home care who is 38 people,
▽ care who is 71 people in hotels,
infection who ▽ not decided yet recuperation destination There are 80 people.

According to the Election Commission, these people can only use the same voting system as regular voters, because there are no special provisions under the Public Offices Election Law.

According to the guidelines of the Election Commission, check with your doctor or public health center to see if you can go out for voting, and ask your doctor etc. for instructions when going to the polling place.

It is because the Election Commission cannot judge whether to go out to vote from a medical or epidemiological point of view.

On the other hand, returnees from abroad are required to voluntarily live in a quarantine life of two weeks from the country even if they get a negative PCR result at the airport.

The guidelines do not mention such returnee voting, and the Tokyo Electoral Assembly said, “We did not assume that returnees would vote, but the decision of whether to go out will follow the instructions of the doctor or public health center. That is the premise. At the polling place, as much as possible, we take measures against infectious diseases of the new coronavirus."

Even in the case of returnees, the judgment is left to doctors, just like infected people who are treated at home or at a hotel.

Physician “Voting Considers Setting Up Polling Sites Dedicated to National Rights”

Regarding this, Dr. Yasutaka Mizuno, who is familiar with infectious diseases, said, "It is a matter of personal willingness to decide whether or not the person who voluntarily quarantines after returning to Japan will go to vote. It is difficult to refuse to go to the vote because it is a non-urgent outing and it can be said that it is a citizen's right, so it is difficult to refuse even if measures are taken. I feel there is a need for discussions such as the consideration of establishing a dedicated polling place that includes these."

Election Department, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications "Cannot comment outside the jurisdiction"

About the fact that voters who are negatively isolated by PCR test and who are in the quarantine are not able to effectively vote in the Tokyo Governor's election due to a request from the government, the Election Department Management Division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications "We do not assume that voters who are voluntarily quarantine will go to the polling place." I cannot comment on the possibility of going out for voting because it is not under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. ”

On top of that, he said, "At the moment, the polling place is operated so that the infection does not spread even if a person who is in a voluntary quarantine comes to vote."

Due to the spread of the infection, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications issued a notification to the election management committee of each prefecture in March, avoiding the so-called "3 dense" state at the polling place, coughing for voters suspected of having cold symptoms. It is said that they are taking measures to encourage thorough etiquette and to ask them to use writing instruments brought by voters.

General election in April Korea Supports voting through flexible operation of the current system

With the spread of the new coronavirus in South Korea, when the general election was held on April 15, this year, 11,600 voters who used the existing system flexibly and isolated themselves at hospitals and homes The rest of people voted.

According to the South Korean Central Election Commission, an environment has been established in which people who have been infected with the new coronavirus or voters who have voluntarily isolated themselves after returning from abroad can vote in the general election, based on the Public Office Election Act. It means that we have prepared three voting methods.

The first is a mail ballot for people who are hospitalized or who are unable to go to the polling place due to military affairs, etc., and it is possible to vote by adding infected people to the target and reporting in advance. I'm done.

The second is a temporary polling place set up at eight life treatment centers nationwide for infected people who are less likely to be hospitalized after they have passed the deadline for mail voting. I was able to vote early.

The third is for the infected family members, those who have been in close contact, and those who have returned from overseas and have been voluntarily isolated, to gather at the polling place just before the end of the vote and vote after the general vote is over. I made it possible.

As a result, there were 364 postal votes, 147 early votes at the facility, and 11,151 votes at the polling place.