Ambassador Dan Mihalache requests extension of voting registration deadline for Romanian expats

The Romanian ambassador in London, Dan Mihalache, called on the government of Romania and the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP) to approve the extension of the registration deadline for Romanians abroad, for both vote by mail and requests for new polling stations, the Embassy of Romania to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland said in a release. 

Registrations on the website of the Permanent Electoral Authority began on July 28, and the forms are active until Wednesday, September 11. 

Although he acknowledged that the number of Romanians abroad who have registered in the 45 days since the start of the procedure is "surprisingly low" - at just 55,000, Dan Mihalache considers that the registration pace has picked up in the last days. 

"There is an increase noticeable in the appetite of Romanians abroad for registering for vote by mail and for requesting the creation of new polling stations," said the Romanian ambassador. 

According to the cited source, in the last days, the daily registration pace in the United Kingdom has reached over 800 people, and the number of persons who registered to vote by mail in the last week is equal to that of the persons who registered in the first 35 days since the start of the procedure. "The Romanians in the United Kingdom top the registration statistics both as regards the vote by mail (7,600) and requests for new polling stations (5,400)," said Dan Mihalache. 

''The diaspora needs more time, and I think the government has all the reasons to decide the extension of the registration deadline by a few days and thus give the chance for as many as possible Romanians from abroad to register for vote by mail - which we consider to be a civilized and comfortable way to exercise the right to vote abroad - or for the creation of new polling stations,'' argues the Romanian ambassador in London. 

Last week, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila announced that she asked the AEP to extend the deadline for the registration of Romanian expats with the Electoral Register.