The State Election Commissioner, Mr. Ilirjan Celibashi and Deputy Commissioner, Mrs. Lealba Pelinku talked today to the reporters about the preparations for election process for May 14, 2023 local government elections.

The meeting started by bringing to attention the extension of the validity term of the voters’ electronic ID, until May 31, 2023.

The commissioner repeated his appeal to citizens to check their names on the voters’ list and their voting center before election day, via the CEC app, the official website of the CEC, the Ministry of the Interior, as well as E-Albania.

Responding to the interest of the media, Commissioner Celibashi shared some data related to the preparation of the election process

Decriminalization

  38 candidates out of 23,907 candidates in total were sent for in-depth verification, out of whom:

• 10 candidates for mayor out of 144 candidates in total
• 28 candidates for municipal council out of 23,763

   Training

The following were trained:  

1. Long-term and short-term trainers KZAZ/KQV/GNV
2. CEAZ commissioners
3. Secretaries of CEAZs
4. Operators of CEAZs
5. PEI trainers
6. PEVN Trainers
7. PEI Operators
8. PEVN operators
9. PEI site support
10. PEVN site support
11. Election campaign monitors
12. Finance specialists of political parties
13. Finance specialists of electoral subjects
14. Candidates for mayor/municipal council and their representatives

• About 560 training sessions were held
• 10,174 people responsible for electoral tasks were trained
• 16 topics were covered
• 514 trainees (trainers/operators/field support) have been trained for PEVN
• 5230 people (trainers/operators/field support) have been trained for PEI
• 199 people (monitors/finance specialists/candidates/persons authorized by candidates) for PERF
• 630 CEAZ commissioners
• 3400 VCC commissioners 

Preparation of materials

• The processing of the material base has ended
• May 4-6- the first phase of delivery of materials such as secret booths, cameras that will be installed/placed in voting centers has ended;
• The administration and processing of election signs, signs, election documentation as well as technology equipment (VC Camera) has been completed;
• As of May 7, the ballot papers were administered in the warehouses of the CEC;
• On May 9, the distribution of election materials to the CEAZs began in the municipalities of Dibër, Lezhë, Gjirokastër, Fier Regions, while on May 10 and the following days, in the other municipalities.
• On May 9, the distribution of the material base began throughout the country, including the electronic voter identification device.
• May 12, the distribution of PEVN ends

  VCCs:

There are 5,212  voting centers throughout the country (with the decision of the SEC, a special VC was added to IEVP (Institution of Execution of Penal Sentences, Tepelena), out of which:

• 61 VCs have 6 members
• 57 VCs have 5 members
• 79 VCs have 4 members
• 17 VCs with 3 members

 VCs with shortcomings:

• Social Democrat party (PSD) in 454 VCs
• Democratic Party (PD) in 422 VCs
• Party of Freedom (PL) in 75 VC

 Ballot Counting Centers

Infrastructure is delivered in 92 BCC (Counting tables/ monitoring and recording cameras/ infrastructure of communication and information management for the transmission of the result). CEC is coordinated with the prefectures, the police and the municipalities to provide the necessary infrastructure. 

Electronic Voting 

The hiring process for operators for 401 VCs in Elbasan, Kamez and Vorë has ended. We have also recruited back up operators. About 20 VCs are in remote areas and are not covered by internet and mobile phone signal, but the CEC has found alternative solutions to have the results 30 minutes after the end of the voting process.

Commissioner Celibashi assured the citizens that the electronic voting device is safe and the secrecy of their vote is guaranteed. He added that no unauthorized person or person or will be allowed to stay in the premises of the voting center, except for the voters that are standing in line.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Pelinku spoke about the electronic identification of voters and optimization of PEI devices, highlighting the improvements of some aspects in the device functionalities. The upgrades have made the operation of device by the operator easier. Pelinku stated that operators have already been recruited for 5100 VCs, but there are still 100 VCs in remote areas that need to be covered with operators. The deputy commissioner repeated her appeal to citizens to apply for the role of PEI operator.