President Miloš Zeman has signed into law a set of measures to permit Czech citizens in quarantine to exercise their right to vote in the forthcoming senate and regional elections in October. Photo credit: Freepik / For illustrative purposes.
Czech Rep., Aug 24 (BD) – The Czech government has been considering alternatives to voting in person, in light of the current pandemic situation. On August 21st, President Miloš Zeman signed a law that will provide citizens in quarantine with alternative means of voting, depending on their circumstances, after it was approved by the Czech Senate. The option to vote using these special measures will only be available to people who will have been quarantined or isolated by a Regional Hygiene Authority or a doctor at the time of the election.
The plans will include the possibility of drive-through voting, available at 78 designated locations, one for each district [“okres”], where citizens will be able to drive through the polling station and vote through the windows of their cars. Voting will take place on Wednesday 30th September from 7am to 3pm, which can be extended if there are more people waiting in line to vote at 3pm. Each drive-through polling station will be supervised by three military personnel and an election official. Voters who use the drive-through method will not be permitted to vote again on the main polling day on Friday and Saturday.
Those who are not able to vote via the drive-through polling stations should inform the regional office [“Krajský úřad”] by 8pm on Thursday, October 1st. On the regular election days, an election team in protective equipment will come to their location with a portable ballot box.
People who are in quarantine in social or medical care facilities will be able to vote in special polling stations set up for the purpose. The voting will take place from Thursday at 7am until Friday at 8pm.
