The Macedonian State Election Commission (SEC) has issued a public call for applications and insights into the electoral roll for Macedonians living abroad for the early general election in April.
The call informs Macedonian citizens living abroad that early elections will take place in Macedonia on April 12th. However, the vote for Macedonians abroad will take place in Macedonia's diplomatic missions or consular offices a day earlier on April 11th.
The SEC calls on Macedonian citizens wishing to use their voting rights to view the electoral roll in Macedonian diplomatic missions or consular offices from February 26th to March 11th.
Insight in the election list and registration for election
During the insight, they should be able to identify themselves in front of the responsible person with a valid travel document or a valid (Macedonian) ID card or similar (passport). The electoral roll can also be viewed on the SEC website (link at the end of the article).
Requests to enroll, change, or delete dates on the electoral roll during public viewing must be made to the SEC from February 26 through March 11 via a personal email application.
Macedonians in the diaspora wishing to vote in the early parliamentary elections will have to file a application between February 16 and March 11. The hand-signed application should be presented to Macedonian diplomatic missions or consular offices in the country in which they reside. This can also be sent via the web application published on the SEC website. (Link at the end of the article!)
This applies to Macedonian citizens who are temporarily living abroad for more than three months, or who are temporarily working or staying abroad for more than one year.
Citizens of the Republic of Macedonia who have previously notified the competent authority of their temporary residence or work abroad, i.e. nationals for whom the Macedonian Ministry of the Interior MVR has information on temporary residence or work abroad, only have to submit the application.
Macedonian citizens who have not previously reported their temporary stay abroad or work to a competent Macedonian authority, i.e. Citizens for whom the Macedonian Ministry of the Interior MVR does not have a record of a temporary stay or work abroad must provide a scanned copy of the documents as evidence of their stay (either a document / certificate or a copy of the document proving a temporary stay abroad for more than three months or for temporary work or a stay of more than one year abroad. Or a residence or work permit issued by a responsible authority in the country, or a copy of a residence or work permit).
Who is eligible to vote?
All Macedonian citizens who have registered their last place of residence in Macedonia and are temporarily abroad on the election day, have temporarily lived abroad for more than three months or have been temporarily employed or have been in the respective country for more than one year are eligible to vote - and that from February 16 to March 11, 2020 have submitted voting requests to the responsible authority and are included in the list of voters.
Only Macedonian citizens who are temporarily employed or live abroad, who have submitted a request and are on the electoral roll can vote in the early parliamentary elections. All other citizens who have the right to vote and who have not submitted an application will be listed on the list of voters according to their last registered residence in Macedonia.
As previously mentioned, the ballot boxes for Macedonians abroad will be opened on Saturday, April 11th, 2020, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Macedonian diplomatic missions or the consular offices.
