EC discloses final procedure for traveling, quarantined and Covid-positive voters

The Elections Commission has disclosed the final voting procedures for citizens positive for Covid-19, in quarantine and those who will be traveling to islands to vote on Saturday in the Local Council and Women's Development Committee (WDC) Elections.

The Elections Commission revealed that those in quarantine and those positive for Covid-19 will not be allowed to use public transport when arriving at voting centers, and will be required to vote between 5pm and 6pm at their designated voting centers on Saturday.

Covid-positive and quarantined persons will only be allowed to vote after all other citizens have cast their ballots across the Maldives. Such voters will also be required to observe strict masking, hand hygiene and social distancing measures at voting centers, and will not be permitted to interact with others at voting centers.

While the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has allowed quarantined persons to vote in the elections under set procedures, voters will also be able to travel to islands without having to quarantine on Saturday. As such, citizens will be allowed to travel to islands to vote without quarantine, but must return to their island of departure within 48 hours. This permit will only be valid until 11 April 2021.

Those traveling to islands to vote without quarantine will be allowed to vote alongside other quarantined persons on the island. As with other Covid-travel permits, those traveling to vote will not be allowed to intermingle with island residents or travel within islands unless for essential purposes, and will be limited to staying in pre-determined accommodation, away from other island residents, for the duration of their stay.