Beside the right to vote for candidates of the member state of their current residence, EU citizens also have the option to vote instead for the candidates of the member state of origin. This may take the form of voting at the embassy, by post, via e-voting or by proxy. Different arrangements apply according to the rules established by the member state of origin.
Maltese citizens living abroad, like Irish and Slovak nationals, can only vote for their candidates by personally travelling to their country.
According to the latest Census of Population and Housing recently published by the National Statistics Office in Malta, there are 12,215 European citizens residing in Malta. The largest three communities come from the United Kingdom (6,652 persons), Italy (947 persons) and Bulgaria (850 persons). These figures are subject to constant fluctuation. Informal data from embassies indicates that these figures might be much higher.
Figures from the Electoral Commission indicate that there are currently 44,729 non-Maltese EU nationals whose name appears in the Maltese electoral register. This figure may be misleading insofar as expats are not obliged to communicate their departure from the islands.
At a press briefing today at the European Parliament Office, a representative of the Italian Embassy stated that there might be in fact up to 5,000 Italian citizens residing in Malta. He added that in the 2009 European Elections the vast majority of Italians residing in Malta voted for Italian candidates through their embassy. The number of Italians voting for Maltese candidates was negligible. A representative for the German embassy pointed out that German citizens have the possibility to register to vote by post for German candidates. The closing date for this registration is 4 May, after which German nationals receive the ballot paper which they simply send by post to the electoral authorities in Germany.
For those non-Maltese EU citizens who choose to vote for Maltese candidates, Maltese law provides that when they register for a Malta ID card or residence document they are asked as a matter of course whether they opt to vote for Maltese candidates or for the candidates of their member state.
After that initial registration any EU citizen may still register this intention to be part of the electoral register for the forthcoming European Elections at any time tile the closing of the electoral register.
Registration can be done through a registration form available online (http://bit.ly/1f5KIze) which needs to be submitted to the Electoral Commission (at Evans Building, St. Elmo’s Place, Valletta), the Identity Card Office in Gozo (28A St Francis Square, Rabat) or to a police officer in any police station in Malta and Gozo by the 31st March 2014. One may also send the registration form by post. The number of non-Maltese EU residents who opted to vote in Malta to date is 7,391.
Non-Maltese EU citizens residing in the Maltese Islands who do not already hold a Malta ID card or Residence document may apply for registration in the European Parliament elections register by completing and submitting to the Electoral Commission the relevant application form together with two passport-size colour photographs and a copy of their valid passport or identification document. The form may be downloaded from the Electoral Commission’s website – www.electoral.gov.mt or obtained either from the office of the Electoral Commission, Police Stations or local council offices. The closing date for receipt of these applications is 31 March, 2014.
Registration for entry in the European Parliament elections register is not automatic.
The Electoral Commission draws the attention of European Union citizens, residing in the Maltese Islands and already holding a Malta I.D. card or Residence Card that they may change their option to register to vote in Malta in the European Parliament Elections for candidates standing for election in Malta. In these cases, interested persons need to fill in the appropriate form available as above and to submit it to the Electoral Commission by 31 March, 2014.
Non-Maltese EU Citizens who opt to be registered to vote in Malta, for candidates standing for election in Malta, would be renouncing their right to vote in their home country in the same elections. For those choosing to vote in Malta, the next step would be to learn more about the Maltese candidates. One can get to know the Maltese candidates better through a specific section on candidates’ profiles on the Facebook page of the European Parliament Office.
The closing date for the next European Parliament Elections register, to be published in April 2014, is 31 March, 2014. The current register may be viewed at the Electoral Office premises in Valletta and Victoria, Gozo. Enquiries by email may be made on the email address [email protected].
[Source: www.independent.com.mt]
