By Jamel Arfaoui in Tunis for Magharebia
22/10/2014
To prepare for all surprises on the real election day, Tunisia held a test vote last Saturday (October 18th).
"Preparations have reached final phases," said Mohamed Chafik Sarsar, who heads the Independent High Electoral Commission (ISIE).
"ISIE employees and cadres are putting the final touches before election day on October 26th," he said.
The election dry run, attended by ISIE representatives and civil society groups, was held in the Tunis suburb of Ben Arous.
The test starting with receiving election documents, tools and printed materials at the polling stations.
It then simulated the experience of voters, from the time they arrive to cast their ballots: identity checks, receiving the ballot, entering the voting booth and putting the ballot in the box.
Other practice runs focused on preventing voter fraud at the ballot box level.
These included carrying the ballot boxes to the collection center (there is an assembly center in each constituency) and the attendees learning how to take down the results based on sorting reports received from polling stations. This is to be conducted manually, with the data later entered into a computerized system.
"For a moment, I felt as if it was a real election day," Abir al-Saidi, who took part in the dry run, told Magharebia. "The scene was well organised, and our army and police forces were present in the place wearing their official uniforms."
Her colleague Tarik Bouziane urged citizens to abide by instructions and to go to polling stations early on October 26th.
"We all have to take advantage of this day to confirm our patriotism and cherish our right to freely choose those who will represent us in parliament," Bouziane said.
More than 5 million citizens have registered for the vote.
Security forces have been deployed around polling stations to provide protection until the end of voting and sorting.
The dry run capped a training course for some 50,000 workers who will secure the poll, the ISIE chief said. The initiative was launched after some expressed concerns about potential technical and human disruptions.
ISIE member Nabil Bafun said that the election would take place smoothly and that the commission was prepared for all surprises.
"ISIE will also respect election law by announcing the election results within three days," he told TAP.
"The supervising electoral committee has gained enough experience to make the vote a success on October 26th," voter Samia El Alaoui told Magharebia.
Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2014/10/22/feature-02.
22/10/2014
To prepare for all surprises on the real election day, Tunisia held a test vote last Saturday (October 18th).
"Preparations have reached final phases," said Mohamed Chafik Sarsar, who heads the Independent High Electoral Commission (ISIE).
"ISIE employees and cadres are putting the final touches before election day on October 26th," he said.
The election dry run, attended by ISIE representatives and civil society groups, was held in the Tunis suburb of Ben Arous.
The test starting with receiving election documents, tools and printed materials at the polling stations.
It then simulated the experience of voters, from the time they arrive to cast their ballots: identity checks, receiving the ballot, entering the voting booth and putting the ballot in the box.
Other practice runs focused on preventing voter fraud at the ballot box level.
These included carrying the ballot boxes to the collection center (there is an assembly center in each constituency) and the attendees learning how to take down the results based on sorting reports received from polling stations. This is to be conducted manually, with the data later entered into a computerized system.
"For a moment, I felt as if it was a real election day," Abir al-Saidi, who took part in the dry run, told Magharebia. "The scene was well organised, and our army and police forces were present in the place wearing their official uniforms."
Her colleague Tarik Bouziane urged citizens to abide by instructions and to go to polling stations early on October 26th.
"We all have to take advantage of this day to confirm our patriotism and cherish our right to freely choose those who will represent us in parliament," Bouziane said.
More than 5 million citizens have registered for the vote.
Security forces have been deployed around polling stations to provide protection until the end of voting and sorting.
The dry run capped a training course for some 50,000 workers who will secure the poll, the ISIE chief said. The initiative was launched after some expressed concerns about potential technical and human disruptions.
ISIE member Nabil Bafun said that the election would take place smoothly and that the commission was prepared for all surprises.
"ISIE will also respect election law by announcing the election results within three days," he told TAP.
"The supervising electoral committee has gained enough experience to make the vote a success on October 26th," voter Samia El Alaoui told Magharebia.
Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2014/10/22/feature-02.
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