On Wednesday, the Sejm dealt with the draft amendment to the Electoral Code. Among the proposed changes are provisions regarding election campaigning, which, according to the Act, “may be carried out by any election committee and any voter”. The authors of the draft removed from this paragraph a provision conditioning such actions with obtaining “the written consent of the electoral representative”.
On Wednesday, the Sejm held its first reading draft amendment to the Electoral Code by PiS. It assumes i.a. increasing access to polling stations for residents of small towns, free transport for voters in municipalities without public transport, as well as changes related to the procedure for determining voting results by members of precinct commissions. According to the authors of the project, these solutions are intended to increase the turnout in elections. The opposition doubts the intentions of the ruling camp and sees the project as an attempt to mobilize its own electorate in the face of less favorable polls.
Election agitation – a proposal for changes
Among the proposed amendments to the Electoral Code, there are provisions concerning electoral campaigning. The current provisions state that “election campaigning may be carried out by any election committee and each voter, including the collection of signatures in support of candidates’ applications. after obtaining the written consent of the electoral representative.
Article 106, paragraph 1, which refers to election campaigning, in the proposed amendments was given the following wording: “election campaigning may be carried out by any election committee and each voter”.
The authors of the draft added paragraph 1a to Article 106, in which they highlighted the provision concerning the signatures supporting the candidates. “Signatures supporting candidates’ applications may be collected by any voter after obtaining the written consent of the electoral representative” – we read in the proposed amendment.
Article 106: a) § 1 shall read as follows: “§ 1. Election campaigning may be carried out by any election committee and each voter.”, b) after § 1, § 1a shall be added to read as follows: “§ 1a. Signatures supporting candidates’ applications may be collected each voter after obtaining the written consent of the electoral representative.”.
Article 106. § 1. Election campaigning may be carried out by any election committee and any voter, including the collection of signatures in support of candidates’ applications after obtaining the written consent of the election representative.
PiS wants changes in the Electoral Code
The justification for the bill states that the proposed law will “positively affect voter turnout and voter awareness.” “It will increase involvement in the electoral process by improving access to polling stations (smaller precincts, additional free transport). The provisions are intended to improve the situation of disabled people, residents of rural areas and small towns, the elderly and the sick. The proposed regulations will facilitate their participation in public life and social, in accordance with the principle of equality” – assessed the authors of the project.
The Sejm will continue to work on changes to the Electoral CodeTVN24
Announcements of various changes related to the election regulations have been made by PiS earlier. The president of this party Jaroslaw Kaczynski at the November meeting with sympathizers in Gliwice, he spoke, among other things, about the need to change the electoral law. – So that it would be more difficult to manipulate or falsify, because today this method of counting votes is not the best – he assessed.
In his opinion, “there must of course be a central office of Law and Justice, the United Right, to control elections.” – There must be contact at the district level with the voivodeship state commissions. And with the National Electoral Commission – centrally – he added. Kaczyński said that “these changes in the law must lead to everything being recorded as well.”
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