Elections abroad. Where can Poles already vote?

– There were no such views two weeks ago – reported the reporter of TVN “Facts” Marcin Wrona, commenting on queues in polling stations. In addition to Poles in the USA, on Saturday, in the second round of presidential elections, compatriots will also vote, including in Argentina, Brazil, in the east of Canada, as well as in Mexico.

When the election silence is in Poland, Poles are already voting abroad. As for North America and South America, it was the first – at 12 o'clock Polish time) – began to receive committees in the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires, in Brazilian cities of Brasilia, Sao Paulo and Curityba, as well as in Halifax in the new new Scotland. In these cities, voting will end at 2 o'clock from Saturday to Sunday Polish time.

At 1pm of Polish time, committees in Chile, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Venezuela opened for voters and in subsequent parts Canada.

Poles also vote on Saturday, among others in Panama, Peru and Colombia, as well as in Mexicoin the cities of Mexico and Cancun.

Voting in the USA

At 7 (13 Polish time) in the USA began voting Poles in the second round of presidential elections. Committees in 12 states on the east coast and the Colombia district opened first. Electoral premises on the west coast will be closed last – it will be at 6 in Poland on Sunday (21 on Saturday West American time).

In total, 60,034 voters signed up to participate in the second round in the United States, by 17,000. more than in the first round. Voting will take place in a record number of 57 circuits in 23 states and the US capital. Over half of the voters registered in the Chicago and New York agglomerations – 19,000 each.

The number of people registered for the second round of presidential elections is higher than in the parliamentary elections in 2023 – then about 48.8 thousand signed up. people. It is also much more than before the second round of presidential elections in 2020 (approx. 46,000 registered voters), although at that time, due to Pandemic, voting in the US took place only by correspondence.

“We're going to the record”

After opening the premises at the Polish embassy in Washington, TVN's “Facts” reporter Marcin Wrona asked the Polish consul Mikołaj Rychlik about the number of registered voters.

– We seem to go to the record. Indeed, we have a significant increase, about 30 percent more voters registered relative to the first round, and maybe even over 30 percent – he said.

Rychlik was also asked whether consulates and committees were prepared for the fact that “many voters” could appear. – We were preparing for many months of these elections, and for the last two weeks we expected that the turnout in the second round would be greater and it worked – he replied.

“There were no such views” in the first round

Marcin Wrona, reporting on Saturday voting, drew attention to queues in the premises and assessed that “there were no such views” two weeks ago, during the first round. He also asked voters coming to the premises in Washington why they are taking part in these elections. – We feel responsible and we wanted to do it – said one of the women.

Another from the election for voting came with a suitcase. – Immediately after the vote, we have to fly to the airport, so on the way we managed to enter and vote, because it was a very important point of that day – she admitted.

Still another in an interview with the TVN reporter admitted that she is voting “because she has such a right” – if I am a Polish citizen, I should vote – she emphasized.

“Whole families came”

The Vice Consul of the Republic of Poland in Curitiba Bartosz Kniecicki said that mobilization among Poles living in Brazil for this year's election is the largest since statistics are conducted. He added that the participation of Polish tourists who will vote mainly in Sao Paulo is also expected.

– The Polonia here is very devoted to Poland and the family tradition. In the first round, whole families came so that one or two people took part in voting. For the youngest generations it was a memorable moment. The Polish Office, a Polish flag, waving on the mast and an emblem hung on the wall for the first time – described the vice -consul.

– All these symbols often begin the process of interest in Polishness – history, culture, language – in the young generation. The process, which often ends with obtaining a Polish passport and active participation in Polish diaspora organizations – added Kniecicki.

The data of the State Electoral Commission shows that in Argentina registered to participate in the second round of elections there were 238 people, in Brazil 224, and almost 480 people, most of the Latin American countries, enrolled in Mexico. Before the first round, 205, 180 and 300 voters were saved in these countries.