“Postal voting does not guarantee the right of expats to vote”: new government push for electronic voting

BarcelonaOn Tuesday the Catalan government approved the preliminary draft of the bill that will regulate electronic polling for Catalans who live abroad. The aim is to ensure that their right to vote is protected and to overcome the “hurdles” that the current system poses for them. Catalan Governance Minister Meritxell Borràs stated that “postal voting does not guarantee the right of Catalan expats to vote”. The government’s working paper that was issued to media stresses that in the elections of September 27 only 14,781 expats cast their ballot, from a total of 196,065 residents abroad.

Tuesday’s decision is another step that shows the government’s determination to increase voter turnout among the Catalan expat community in the next Catalan elections, once the new system is in place. Minister Borràs emphasised that the bill “will merely regulate online voting”, which will “complement” the other methods that are being used at present. “The rest of the election process will adhere to the Spanish electoral law”, according to the document.

Votes may be cast on a computer, tablet o smart phone during the period designated for voters abroad. Ballots will remain in custody inside an electronic ballot box until the day of the general vote counting.