«Electoral Issues», episode two: the Central Elections Commission's role in easing civil society's electoral observation

Pal-Think for Strategic Studies, in cooperation with the Central Elections Commission, carried out the second radio episode, titled “The Central Elections Commission and its role in easing the work of civil-society institutions in overseeing the electoral process”, of the Electoral Issues programme broadcast on the local Zaman FM radio on Mondays and Wednesdays at two in the afternoon — within the project “Partnership with civil-society institutions / phase two 2021” funded by the European Union”.

The episode's guest was Mr Raed Saqr, public-relations officer at the regional office of the Central Elections Commission, who in turn spoke of the oversight of the Palestinian elections, setting out the three kinds of monitors — local, international, and the Commission's guests among the notable personalities — showing that each body is allowed to place a thousand monitors, and noting that the Elections Commission introduced last year a position called “monitor's assistant” to engage those with disability in the oversight process.

Saqr made clear the monitors' rights, affirming that the monitor who carries an oversight card accredited by the Elections Commission has the right to enter all polling centres, oversee the committee's work, obtain the possible facilitations to exercise their tasks, and the right to see the ballot paper and the counting records after their signing by the head and members of the counting body.

He likewise affirmed that the monitor has no right to interfere at all in the committee's activities, must carry the oversight card, must not influence the voter's conduct, and must comply with the instructions of the centre's official.

Saqr mentioned the conditions that must be met in the monitor: to be older than 20 years; not to be a candidate for the elections or a journalist accredited with the Elections Commission; not to be a member of a political party or of the security agencies; and not to have been convicted of a felony or of a misdemeanour breaching honour and trust.