STAE: “We will 100% implement presidential election for Timorese voters in Australia”

DILI, 04 february 2022 (TATOLI) – The Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE) has reaffirmed its position that Timorese citizens living in Australia can exercise their democratic rights in the march 19 Presidential elections via their state of the last residence.

“STAE’s preparation for the Timorese voters abroad, including Australia is ongoing. In Timor-Leste, STAE is the only public institution to be responsible for the implementation of both presidential and parliamentary elections,” the Director-General of the Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE), Acilino Manuel Branco told TATOLI at his office in Dili, on friday.

He said STAE had printed ballot papers for Timorese voters overseas, including the ballot papers for Timorese voters living in Australia.

“STAE has officially published all the voting centers and the number of voters overseas, including Australia,” he said.

Branco stressed that according to the electoral law, a polling center could be established in a particular place that has more than 50 voters, such as Australia: “So far, we have recorded 1487 voters in Australia, and I don’t think it is the right thing to prevent these voters from exercising their democratic rights in the upcoming election.”

“I would like to say that STAE is an independent institution which is responsible for the implementation of the election and ensuring every citizen to exercise their democratic right as it has been defined in the National Constitution of Timor-Leste,” said Branco.

According to article 47 of the National Constitution of Timor-Leste: 1) Every citizen over the age of seventeen has the right to vote and to be elected 2) The exercise of the right to vote is personal and constitutes a civic duty.

“Soon, STAE will depart for Australia to realize the Presidential Election for our citizens in Australia. We will 100% implement the presidential election in Australia. People can still cast their vote without updating their voter registration,” he said.

Previously, Branco revealed that STAE couldn’t realize the voter registration in Australia due to the Covid-19 situation and lockdown.

On the other hand, the President of the National Electoral Commission of Timor-Leste, José Agostinho da Costa Belo, in a press conference held on friday reaffirmed CNE’s position that without an update and compulsory voter registration, it was impossible to realize the presidential election for Timorese citizens in Australia.

Article 65(2) of the National Constitution states that: “Registration of voters shall be compulsory and officially initiated, single and universal, to be updated for each election.”

Belo said that CNE’s decision has been officially published in the Official Gazette of the President of Republic on wednesday (02/03), saying, therefore, any presidential candidates and citizens who disagreed with CNE’s decision may file election-related lawsuits to the court of appeal.

“CNE’s has taken the decision through a plenary meeting with all commissaries present and it would not reverse the decision,” Belo said.

CNE’s decision has been presented to the court of appeal, but rejected, saying it’s not part of the competency of the Court of Appeal.

“It’s not a lawsuit, and it’s just an opinion that we presented to the Court of Appeal,” Belo added.

Asking about weighing the importance of articles 47 and 65, Belo said CNE’s decision was merely focusing on the prevention of electoral fraud and any irregularities during the election.

“However, just in cases if the Court of Appeals decision allows STAE to realize the presidential election for the Timorese people in Australia, then CNE has nothing to do with such decision,” he added

Three voting centers have been set up in Australia, including one in Darwin, one in Sydney, and another one in Melbourne.

As of february 18, STAE registered 7.113 Timorese voters residing overseas, including, 1.487 in Australia, 1.277 in South Korea, 2.229 in the United Kingdom, 1.264 in Northern Ireland, and 856 in Portugal.

Journalist: Filomeno Martins

Editor: Rafy Belo