COVID-19 patients to put ballot papers into ballot boxes themselves

The National Election Commission has decided to allow COVID-19 patients and those under self-quarantine to vote in the same way as general voters on Wednesday for the presidential election in order to prevent the reoccurrence of unprecedented chaos created during the early voting. COVID-19 patients and those under self-quarantine will vote in regular polling booths, rather than temporary ones, from 6 p.m. on Wednesday and put ballot papers into ballot boxes themselves.

The National Election Commission made such decisions by holding an emergency plenary meeting on Monday morning. “COVID-19 patients will vote in the same way as regular voters in polling booths after 6 p.m. when regulars voters are finished with voting,” said the commission. During the early voting on Saturday, COVID-19 patients and those under self-quarantine had to fill in a ballot in temporary booths and hand it to an election clerk. This group of people can vote from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Noh Jeong-hee, the head of the National Election Commission, who appeared in public for the first time since the chaos on Saturday did not make much comment on the situation. Instead, the commission released a statement under the members of the commission apologizing for the confusion and inconvenience caused to people.


oldsport@donga.com