The Election Commission (EC) has assured that the dual ballot system will not be a problem for voters in the upcoming general election.
Authorities will nevertheless try to prevent public confusion by using different colors for the two cards and publicizing information to voters.
EC Secretary-General Sawang Boonmee discussed preparations for the use of two ballot cards in the upcoming general election, noting that it would not be new to the public despite this being a shift from the 2019 election. Local elections have also been using dual ballots.
The secretary-general said the two ballots will have separate colors so they will be clearly identifiable. The EC will also be making efforts to publicize the two-ballot system to the public.
The EC chief meanwhile said the body will convene a meeting with political party representatives next week to discuss preparations for the general election. A major topic of concern will be the expenses that parties will need to shoulder for party-list and constituency-based MP candidates.
Concerning the primary vote at political parties, the EC chief explained that the law now allows a party to field candidates for an entire province using just one party branch or party representative. However, certain meetings need to be held in accordance with regulations and the law governing political parties.
He added that next week’s discussions will address this requirement and political parties should closely follow upcoming announcements. (NNT)
