Elections Committee Issues Guidelines to Ease Polling Station Congestion

The Central Elections Committee released new guidelines on Tuesday aimed at reducing congestion at polling stations and improving the voting experience, according to Acting Director General Dean Livneh. The measures include identifying the next voter while the current one is behind the voting booth curtain, with the next voter entering only after the previous one has finished. To streamline identification, officials are instructed not to ask further questions if a voter's identity is clear, and expired ID cards are acceptable if the photo allows for identification. If additional verification is needed, one clerk will handle it aside while another continues processing voters to avoid delaying the line. Work at the polling station will continue uninterrupted during the signing of envelopes, and eligible voters using external envelopes can fill in details by hand. Committee members who have worked at a polling station for at least six consecutive hours can vote without a physical appointment letter or sticker. The committee also clarified that any voter arriving by the 10:00 PM closing time will be allowed to vote, even if it causes delays. The committee denied a statement attributed to Livneh that a polling station secretary failing to prevent congestion would be removed from their post. The committee urged the public to be patient and respectful towards voters and staff working to ensure everyone can exercise their right to vote.