Presidential elections: the dead and the alive, on the same electoral rolls?

Nicolae Răilean, electoral expert

From our electoral experience, many campaigns had law violations. The most discreditable case was the 2009 elections when the communists massively rigged the polls, the people took to the streets, and they recounted the votes. We were not allowed to count everything, but from what we managed,  it would have been enough for the communist party to lose the “golden vote,” not to elect the president and lose power. When the government controls the local authority, there are lists of the dead souls’ votes. The town halls and the electoral administration are blamed for such law violations as they must verify the electoral lists and publicly display them for 20 days before the elections. In this way, anyone can check the eligible candidates. The criminal law qualifies the lists of “dead souls” as power abuse and punishes the violation. However, the authorities haven’t reported such conviction cases, although the law has been violated several times.

Nicolae Osmochescu, university professor, doctor

Political parties cause political phenomena. As for the phenomenon of “dead souls,” it can and must be excluded from the electoral process. Central Electoral Commission has all the rights and mechanisms to do it. The law must be applied for any attempt of listing dead persons strictly – to everyone who has intentionally violated the law, regardless of position and party affiliation. “Dura lex, sed lex” (The law is harsh, but it’s the law). The exceptional phenomenon, Moldova, has had more voters than the population: 3 million voters per 2.5 million people.

Gheorghe Răileanu, ex-mayor of Cimișlia, district councilor

This might happen, and nobody can guarantee that. There were many governments. Thus population records haven’t been cleared up. However, it is possible, but not convenient. Clutter is more convenient, as it is easier to manipulate things. Three years ago, local town halls were responsible for drawing up and adjusting voters’ rolls. The handling of rolls took place in the ruling parties’ settlements. For three years, the CEC has taken over their positions. Do you think something has changed? The current lists I received from CEC are the same, out of date, with dead people, emigrated people, and changed residence places. Local mayors can indeed intervene if they find irregularities. Things haven’t changed because the old population records favor others.

Ecaterina Mardarovici, Women’s Political Club 50×50

Elections without abuses and frauds have not yet taken place in Moldova. Whether they vote for the dead or buy mayors, commissions, voters, or voters vote on several rolls. Indeed, our electoral legislation is not perfect. The Central Electoral Commission or law enforcement does not always respect it. However, I believe that there is no perfect law in the world that malicious people cannot outwit. In our case, the parties must use their right to have members in the electoral constituency, not formal observers, but well-trained people who do not lose time and act like soldiers on duty. Elections in Moldova cannot be free or fair in the absence of control.