Presidential election 2024/ BEC takes decision on proper conduct of electioneering

The central electoral bureau (bec) for the election of the President of Romania in 2024 on Tuesday passed a decision providing for measures for a smooth running of electioneering.For this year's presidential election, electioneering starts on October 25, at 00:00hrs, and ends on November 23, at 07:00hrs.In the event of a second round of voting, campaigning begins on the date of the public announcement of the voting day and ends on December 7, at 07:00hrs.The BEC specifies that electoral propaganda after the end of electioneering is forbidden.By the continuation of electoral propaganda it is understood displaying, launching or distributing electoral materials of any type, as well as broadcasting electoral messages in audio, visual or mixed format on digital screens located in public or private places or through special vehicles, in connection with the election of the President of Romania in 2024; advising voters to vote or not to vote for certain candidates in the election.At the same time, BEC says that after the end of electioneering, preserving the electoral content referring to the election for the President of Romania in 2024 published during the electoral campaigning on webpages and on online social media platforms and not subject to a paid promotion for displaying that content after the end of the electioneering does not mean continuation of electoral propaganda after the end of electioneering .Also, after the end of electioneering for the 2024 presidential election, the continuation of the electoral propaganda that refers exclusively and unequivocally to the elections to the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies this year does not mean the continuation of electioneering at the end of electioneering for the 2024 presidential election.In the period between the end of electioneering and the end of voting, the organisers of events of any kind and their participants may not carry out electoral propaganda actions.It is forbidden to grant or make the promise of granting benefits and rewards of any kind for participation in voting.The integrity of billboards, electoral posters and other electoral propaganda materials displayed in authorised places is secured by mayors with support from the local police or, where there is no local police, with support from the staff of the Ministry of Home Affairs.For the 2024 presidential election, mayors provide electoral competitors with electoral billboards distinct from those placed as electoral posters for this year's election to the Senate and Chamber of Deputies.On an electoral billboard, each candidate may affix only one electoral poster. Electoral posters that combine colours in a sequence that reproduces the flag of Romania or another state are prohibited.At the same time, it is forbidden to use for electoral purposes costumised vehicles or stickers with campaign slogans or images of candidates, as well as with other references to electoral competitors; the use of vehicles that broadcast audio materials, on the move or stationary; holding shows, celebrations, fireworks, the use of banners, meshes, advertising tents, advertising pavilions, mobile billboards, advertising flags, poles, advertising screens, directional advertising signs, freestanding advertising structures, billboards, special advertising projects, illuminated advertising and any other electoral materials that are not provided for in Article 36(2) of Law no. 334/2006 as further amended and supplemented .   The Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) for the election of the President of Romania in 2024 also adopted, on Tuesday, the provisions regarding the exercise of the right to vote through the special ballot box, establishing, among other things, that non-transportable voters can request a special ballot box in the day before the voting, between 6.00 pm and 8.00 pm, with some exceptions, but not if they are abroad, in which case they cannot benefit from this service.According to the decision, the voter who, for objective reasons, caused by illness or disability, attested by documents, cannot travel to the headquarters of the polling station organized in the country, can apply to vote through the special ballot box. However, voters who are abroad on election day cannot exercise their right to vote through the special ballot box.The request to vote by means of the special ballot box is submitted to the polling station where the respective voter is otherwise supposed to vote, according to his/her address, with a team consisting of at least two members of the electoral office of the polling station to then travel to the respective location, in the day before the voting, between 6:00 p.m. and 8.00 pm.