Problems in Albania with electronic identification in local elections May 14

 

 In Albania, the process of voting for the new mayors of the 61 municipalities and members of the municipal councils started at 07:00. Many problems were identified in different parts of the country with the operation of the electronic devices installed for the identification of voters. State election commissioner Ilirjan Celibashi stated around 10:00 that the system had functioned normally in at least 85% of the 5,213 polling stations throughout the country. In some 205 polling stations, the device was configured but could not provide information in real-time, local media say. 

For another 531 stations, there was no information available. In case the device was not functioning, Celibashi ordered that "identification should continue traditionally." Voting and electronic counting technology are being used in three municipalities: Elbasan, Kamëz, and Vorë. Preliminary results are expected to be published immediately after the closing of the process, and a post-election manual count of all confirmations will be performed to verify accuracy. 

The rest of the vote counting in the country will be done manually in 92 counting centers specially set up for the task. There are more than 3.65 million voters, including emigrants, on the voter lists for these elections. The number of actual voters is expected to be 30-40% lower than that on the lists. 

A total of 144 candidates from 40 parties and coalitions are competing for local power, including two independent candidates. For the 1,603 positions of municipal council members, around 23,700 candidates, including 10 independents, are competing. International observers from the ODIHR are monitoring the local elections, headed by Ambassador Audry Glover. A group of 24 long-term observers have been monitoring the pre-election process since April 13. 

The mission had requested a presence of 300 short-term observers from OSCE member countries, but only about 165 have arrived in Albania. Including groups from the European Parliament, the Council of Europe's assembly, and foreign embassies in the country, it is estimated that the number of foreign observers is about 230 people. The process was preceded by an incident at midnight in which the socialist candidate and current director of the Municipality of Kolonjë, Erion Isai, was assaulted by people suspected to be opposition supporters. Isai stated that one of the attackers was also a member of the Zonal Commission.