Report from CIVIL’s monitoring on the ground, from 4.00 – 7.30 pm on Election Day (second round).
Pressure on CIVIL’s observers
Karpos, primary school “Hristijan Todorovski Karpos”, A police officer asked for ID from CIVIL’s observer, even though his badge was visibly placed and the police officer could see it. After the remark of the observer that he is not allowed to do that, he answered that he was ordered to do so. The data were written on an ordinary piece of paper. The observer was then allowed to carry out the activities. The event is reported at 4.55 pm, and took place at 1.30 pm.
Karpos, primary school “Hristijan Todorovski Karpos”, polling station 2626, The observer’s copy of the authorization was taken away by the Election Board, but after insisting it was returned.
Accusations of vote-buying
Tearce, primary school Ekrem Chabej, village Slatino, polling station 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, An observer of CIVIL reports that 1 hour before the closing of the polling station, in the village of Slatino, Municipality of Tearce, vote-buying had been offered of 1000 to 1500 denars for a vote for the DUI candidate for mayor. He received the information verbally from a citizen of the village of Slatino, who wanted to remain anonymous. He received the information while he was in the school yard, the citizen from whom he received the information had been returning from voting and CIVIL’s observer heard the citizen talking about this with an acquaintance of CIVIL’s observer. CIVIL’s observer asked the citizen if he could put this in the report, and the citizen said yes, with the remark that he wants to remain anonymous, saying: “yes, but don’t involve me in this”.
Agitation, organized transport of voters, threats to voters
Center, primary school “Koco Racin”, polling station 2799, 2800, 2801, An elderly person born in 1942, entered all three polling stations with a cap with a party sign, and does not at all vote in that place. The police asked for his ID, waited to see whether there would be a report from the presidents. After talking with the police, the person remained there with a younger person, and the observer further followed to see whether that person was giving instructions. There were no indications for such a thing, the observer continued shortly to monitor him but there was no other suspicious activity.
Exceeding authorization of party observers
Tearce, village of Glogji, primary school “Asdreni”, polling station 2021/1, An observer from a party (Alliance for Albanians) took pictures, put marks marking their voters, sent them and talked on the telephone at the polling station.
Kumanovo, Public Enterprise “Hygiene and greenery”, polling station 1014, Two of the present observers wrote with pens with party signs
Unauthorized presence at polling station
Struga, primary school, village Vranishte, polling station 1869 and 1870, a larger group of minors in the school yard made much commotion and obstructed the entrance for the voters. Following the reaction of the police, they left the place.
Violation of the secrecy of the vote
Bitola, primary school “Kole Kaninski”, polling station 0067, names of voters are read out loud.
Bitola, primary school “Kole kaninski”, polling station 0067, Observers of parties inform which persons are voting.
Kumanovo, Public Enterprise “Hygiene and Greenery”, polling station 1014, Three voters after having voted, intentionally folded the ballots from the opposite side. After being warned that it is not the right way, they replied “that is how it should be” and put the ballots in the ballot box. Everyone present could see that number 12 was circled.
Kocani, Kindergarten, polling station 0835, Public and family voting is noted at 10.50 am. A voter named Slave Markovic. The event was reported at 4.20 pm.
Rankovce, primary school in the village of Rankovce, polling station 0987, A member of the Election Board who tore ballots before giving them to voters folded the corners of the ballots. She was warned previously by another member of the Election Board not to tear the ballots before the voters entered.
Kicevo, primary school Sande Sterjoski, polling station 0737, The voter publically expressed in the polling station his vote for VMRO, even though he was told that he should not say that.
Karpos, primary school “Vera Ciriviri Trena”, polling station 2628, A voter tells out loud that he will vote for a candidate (Stevco Jakimovski).
Violation of COVID protocols
Studenicani, municipal school, village Dolno Kolicani, polling station 2353/1, Two voters allowed by the Election Board to vote without masks
Bitola, primary school “Kole Kaninski”, polling station 0067, Members of the polling station do not wear masks.
Bitola, primary school “Kole Kaninski”, polling station 0068, voters are allowed inside without protective masks.
Demir Hisar, primary school in the village of Zagorce, polling station 0627, Four voters enter polling station 0627 without protective masks, Election Board did not react at all and allowed them to vote.
Kicevo, primary school “Sande Sterjoski, polling station 0737/1, voting allowed for two voters without protective masks
Assisting in voting, voting for another, family voting
Kocani, Kindergarten, polling station 0835, public and family voting is noted at 10.50 am. A voter named Slave Markovic. The event is reported at 4.20 pm.
Karpos, high school Gjorgji Dimitrov, polling station 2603, An elderly citizen voted with an escort under the excuse that he has vision problems. The event took place at 1.10 pm, reported at 4.55 pm.
Problems with FPD
Kumanovo, private enterprise Ajduchka Cheshma, 1059/1, the Election Board had problems with the fingerprint device, that is, a member of the Election Board who was logged in the fingerprint device left to go home and did not log out, and when another member of the Election Board tried to log into the device he could not do so. Because of this, the voting process was interrupted from 12:39 to 12:52 pm, while the Election Board was trying to find the member of the Election Board, to call him to come back to the polling station and log out of the device in order for another member of the Election Board to log in so that the fingerprint device could function properly and the voting process to go smoothly.
Kisela Voda, primary school Nevena Georgieva Dunja, polling station 2745, the polling station was open at 07:00 am, but the voting process began at 07:30 am because the fingerprint device was not working. The election board did not allow the voting to start and was trying to contact the Municipal Election Commission or the SEC in order to receive instructions on how to make the device work in order to start the voting process. After 30 minutes, the election board received suggestions on what it is supposed to do to make the device work, and the election board implemented those suggestions and put the devise into function.
Aerodrom, primary school “Ljuben Lape”, polling station 2759, Around 3.00 pm, the fingerprint device ran out of battery for 35 minutes. After a reaction from the competent authorities, it is in function. In the meantime, the voting proceeded, the voters were registered with a fingerprint.
Inaccessibility, violation of the right to vote of disabled persons
Bitola, primary school “Kole Kaninski”, polling station 0067, No screen for disabled persons.
Chashka, Facility of Dushko Dimovski in village Nezhilovo, polling station 2213, There was no screen for disabled persons at the polling station, and at the same time there was no access to the polling station for these persons because there were stairs in front of the polling station. The Election Board has taken absolutely no measures in regards to solving this situation.
Kichevo, primary school Sande Shterjoski, polling station 0737, No screen for disabled persons.
Other irregularities
Gazi Baba, polling station in primary school “25 Maj” and in Dane Krapchev polling station 2496, an observer has information that in two polling stations, at the above-mentioned one and one in the school “25 Maj” that was not specified, there are no bags for transport of the ballots. She received one of the information from the election board right there, and the other from a member of the election board in Gjorgji Krapchev polling station 2496. Furthermore, the observer was informed and was told from the election board that they received a text message from SEC that if there are not enough bags, the material should be transported in boxes.
Demir Hisar, primary school village Kutretino, polling station 0628, The power went off in the building where the voting process is taking places, and the power went off in other polling stations as well. It is assumed that the power went off in the entire village and in the town of Demir Hisar. /// Demir Hisar, primary school village Kutretino, polling station 0628, The voting process was interrupted because of force majeure, i.e., the power going off, but afterwards a large light was brought by the election board, all members of the election board were at their post, wore masks and the Election Board pointed out that they would not interrupt the voting process and that it would take place until 7 pm when the polling station would be closed.
Probishtip, the building of the geological school “Naum Naumovski Borche”, polling station 1532, a female person came to the polling station to vote, and her ID card was expired. The president of the Election Board talked to a representative from SEC and after the consultation, the person was allowed to vote.
Karposh, primary school “Hristijan Todorovski Karposh”, polling station 2626, at this polling station voting with an expired ID card was noted.
Novo Selo, Army Hall in Novo Selo, polling station 1785, the president of the Election Board called the observer from SDSM to take out a report from the reader.
