USR launches public debate on draft law extending vote via mail to local elections

The Save Romania Union (USR) has launched on Tuesday in public debate, a bill to extend the vote via mail to the local elections and will carry out consultations with the civil society and constitutional law and voting system specialists in order to find, "as quickly as possible," the best solution to help people to vote in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic, USR MP and Deputies' Chamber Vice-Chairman Lucian Stanciu Viziteu announced.

"I call on the other political groups to support together the vote via mail in the local elections. This year we are faced with two rounds of elections, taking into account that the first wave of the novel Chinese virus hasn't yet disappeared and experts are talking about the possibility of having a new wave in autumn. This thing could make Romanians afraid to come to vote, which would generate the lowest turnout in the local elections in the past 30 years. If we also look at the fact that these elections have one round, there is the possibility of having the lowest legitimacy in history. This is why, a formula must be found to extend Romanians' rights to vote via mail, including in the local elections," draft law initiator Stanciu Viziteu said at the Palace of Parliament.