Consuls’ decisions on this matter are each time preceded by an analysis of the current epidemiological situation in their consular district, local regulations, and recommendations issued by relevant sanitary authorities, as well as the position of the country’s authorities on the possibility of organising elections in their territory.

Polish consuls in Spain (Madrid, Barcelona), the US (Chicago, New York), and Canada  (Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa), following the improvement in the epidemiological situation in the countries, revoked previously issued announcements and allowed the possibility of personal delivery of return envelopes to a consular post. At the same time in Madrid and Barcelona, due to the local authorities’ position on the voting arrangements, the need to meet sanitary standards, and limited office space, the decision was taken to uphold announcements on the impossibility of delivering return packs to district electoral commissions on the day of the vote.

By delegating these responsibilities to consuls, the legislator took into consideration the realities of organising elections during the pandemic, when individual areas situated within Polish consular districts differ in terms of how seriously they have been affected by the pandemic and what sanitary regimes apply there. The goal of these regulations is to ensure maximum safety to voters, members of the district electoral commissions and consular staff, as well as adjusting election procedures to local regulations, which Polish consular staff are obliged to respect in accordance with the rules of international conventions.

In the United Kingdom, according to the position of local authorities, elections can be held in the form of postal voting. Four Polish consular posts operating in the country sent out more than 180,000 ballot packs. Due to the position taken by local authorities and restrictions introduced by them, it is impossible to arrange for 180,000 potential voters to return voting packs in person to one of the four Polish consular posts in the UK (for example, before the pandemic, the biggest consular post, located in London, attended to up to 350 people a day).

In Germany, according to the position taken by local authorities, diplomatic posts can organise elections solely by means of postal voting. In this country, restrictions introduced by regional authorities are still in force, rendering it impossible to organise a safe procedure, and in accordance with the local law, for over 80,000 potential voters to personally return the ballot packs they were sent. By comparison, in Croatian diplomatic posts in Germany, a total 2657 persons cast their vote in recent elections, and a similar number of Serbian nationals living in Germany took part in voting on 21 June.

In the Republic of Ireland it is impossible to organise a safe procedure, in accordance with the regulations in force, for personal delivery of return ballot packs for over 28,000 potential voters due to the regulations in force, recommendations on social distancing, limits on the number of people attending mass gatherings, and limited office space of the consular post in Dublin.

It must be stressed that the only reason for introducing the restrictions is to ensure epidemiological safety for all persons involved in the electoral process – this is the responsibility of all consuls organising elections, based on both national provisions and the receiving country’s regulations which consuls are obliged to respect. The Polish presidential elections in countries such as Ireland, Germany or the UK are a mass process involving from tens of thousands to more than 180,000 voters. Failure to observe the sanitary regimes in force and local authorities’ recommendations could as a result jeopardise the health and life of Polish citizens and disrupt the voting process.

We would like to assure you that Polish consuls make every effort to enable the largest number of Polish voters abroad to take part in the elections. The record voter turnout on 28 June 2020 proves their hard work and efficiency, for this unprecedented turnout was nearly six percent higher than in the postal voting during the first round of the 2015 presidential election, which was not held in times of a pandemic.

 

MFA Press Office

Photo Tymon Markowski / MFA