The machines we will vote on in October have expired warranties. This was announced to bTV by the Central Election Commission (CEC). According to experts, this could block hundreds of machines. We will need about 9,800 machines for the vote, the CEC announced.
„The machines are not under warranty, the warranty has expired, but we are preparing a technical specification for a public procurement contract, which will be put to the vote next week. Our ambition is to have the machines ready for operation by election day and immediately after the repairs and maintenance, which have not been done so far, we will proceed with certification“, said Stoyanka Balova, spokesperson for the CEC.
According to election experts, the problem is serious.
“Not only the CEC, everyone knows that the warranty has expired, and I think it was last year. This does not automatically mean that all the machines will be scrapped, but it means that more and more machines will fail. Over a hundred machines failed in the last elections, and now several hundred will fail. We are lucky that now we will have the simplest possible elections - the presidential ones, and I hope that not many people will be in difficulty“, commented Mihail Konstantinov, an expert in election legislation and practices.
In all polling stations with over 300 people, voting will be by machine. In those with less than 300 people - on paper.
The CEC highlights the following dates as important.
„The first important date is October 10. Citizens who wish to vote at their current address, not their permanent one, must declare this. The same is the date for people with disabilities for a mobile polling station“, explained Stoyanka Balova.
Experts are adding details on the preparation.
„The initiative committees must submit 7,000 signatures of voters. I advise them to have at least 7,500, because many will turn out to be invalid. And the parties and coalitions must provide a deposit of 5,000 euros, which is returned if 1% is exceeded,“ explained Mihail Konstantinov.
If they lose the deposit, it goes to the treatment of children.
Experts add that two months before the vote, there are several unknowns - who the right-wing candidates will be and whether GERB will play with a separate candidate.
After the public procurement for the warranty service of the machines is announced, their certification is still pending.
The chronogram for the vote on October 25 is now clear, as are the most important dates. Parties must register for the vote by September 9, and initiative committees by the 14th.
We will also know the names of the candidates on the lists by the 22nd. On September 23, the numbers of the candidates on the ballot will be determined, and on the 24th, its template will be approved.
The campaign begins on September 25, and by October 3, the sections abroad will be clear.
October 24 is a day for reflection, and the publication of surveys and results is prohibited until the end of election day. October 25 is the date of the first round.
If there is a second round of voting, the runoff will be on November 1, Sunday.