The National Elections Commission (CNE) assured today that voting in this Sunday’s legislative elections “is safe” and defended that all voters “should vote, regardless of whether they are in isolation” due to Covid-19.
“Although these elections are still taking place in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, all the conditions are met for the vote to be exercised in absolute safety”, said the substitute for the president of the CNE, Vera Penedo, stressing that “the places of voting were prepared in such a way that there were no favorable conditions for contagion».
At a press conference held in the Almeida Santos auditorium, at the Assembly of the Republic, in Lisbon, he highlighted that “personal protective equipment was provided to the members of the board and other people involved in the process” and appealed to citizens to respect the recommendations of the security authorities. health, noting also that “masks will be available for people who request them” in polling stations and sections.
“The early voting went smoothly. It should also be noted that the electoral campaign took place without incident, with the candidates having the opportunity to present their proposals and programs within a framework of democratic normality", said the CNE leader, accompanied by the organisation's spokesperson, João Tiago Machado, and by the secretary of the commission, João Almeida.
The CNE also recalled that since the beginning of the pandemic, in March 2020, several electoral acts have already taken place in the country “without any outbreak having been identified by the competent authorities” of Covid-19 and reiterated that “there is no justification” for citizens stop voting.
On the other hand, the supervisory entity of the elections admitted “specific cases” in which “queues may form early in the morning” this Sunday, because of the need for polling stations to unload voters who voted in advance from the electoral rolls. and the introduction of the respective ballots in the polls, leaving, therefore, an orientation to the people: «It is recommended that anyone who can do so exercise their right outside that period».
Asked about the control of people who will be at the polling stations, João Almeida clarified that “there is no obligation to be tested” for the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and added that “it would not be very effective”, reinforcing the safety of the act. electoral.
“This is a real problem that we hope will be overcome. To go to vote, the time of contact with other people, the number of people with whom one has contact, is much lower than what happens in a simple routine supermarket purchase».
Faced with a possible deficit of elements present at polling stations spread across the country because they have Covid-19, the official noted that “the law does not provide for ways of reinforcement”, but he was calm about the normality of the electoral process.
«In parishes there are grants of citizens who have signed up voluntarily and any voting citizen can be nominated to sit at the table. The process is very simple », she clarified.
At the same time, the CNE refused to comment on the way in which the electoral campaign of the different parties took place, in which the streets with large concentrations of people were frequent and without safety distance to avoid contagion.
“The campaign is free and those responsible are its promoters. This is more a matter for the Directorate-General for Health (DGS). The CNE's functions are not to block campaign actions. Advertising in Portugal is and will continue to be free. This is a responsibility of the promoters of these events, who have to take their measures in accordance with the instructions of the DGS. It is not up to us to judge campaign actions», concluded João Tiago Machado.
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