DILI, 11 january 2023 (TATOLI) – The Government of Timor-Leste, through the Council of Minister (CoM), approved the new amendment to the electoral law, presented by the Vice Minister of State Administration, Lino Torrezão, which allow Timorese citizens living abroad to vote in the next general elections through postal vote.
“Today, the CoM approved a proposal for the fifth amendment to Law 6/2006, of 28 December presented by Vise Minister, Lino Torrezão,” the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, said in a press conference, at the Government Palace, today.
He said that the amendment aimed to introduce new measures to encourage the democratic participation of Timorese citizens living overseas, such as the introduction of postal voting or extending the opening hours of polling stations.
“It is the result of a long discussion between the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister to find the solution for Timorese living abroad when it comes to elections,” Magalhaes said.
He said that postal voting is to help Timorese citizens living abroad to fully participate in the next general elections.
Postal voting is voting in an election where ballot papers are distributed to electors (and typically returned) by post, in contrast to electors voting in person at a polling station or electronically via an electronic voting system.
Normally, postal voting included marking the vote on the ballot paper in secret, completing the postal ballot statement, placing the ballot paper and statement in the envelope provided, sealing the envelope, and posting the ballot paper back as soon as possible to ensure it’s counted.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
