Efforts to allow athletes to jump the gun

The Electoral Commission is being asked to find a solution to ensure that athletes participating in June's Games for the Small States of Europe will still be able to vote in the European Parliament elections.

Although all fingers are pointing at the commission to resolve the matter, The Times has learnt that it is not the competence of the commission to determine whether the athletes can vote in advance.

The EP election is set for June 6 while the games in Cyprus start on June 1. The law would have to be changed in order to allow the athletes to be able to vote a week before polling day and the commission of course cannot change laws. The commission has to abide by the law and so it cannot determine whether the athletes would be able to vote in advance or not, sources conversant with the electoral system said.

According to the electoral law the only individuals who can vote on a different day other than election day are the assistant electoral commissioners. The law specifically mentions such assistant commissioners as being able to vote just one day before polling day. Contrary to popular belief, members of the police force and soldiers do not vote before polling day.

The Labour Party (PL) has formally asked the commission to put forward its proposals on this matter. The commission is scheduled to meet next week, its secretary, Joe Calleja, confirmed. However, he would not be drawn into commenting on the agenda.

The athletes' voting issue was recently raised by the Malta Olympic Committee, which wrote to the three major political parties and the commission to ensure the 120 athletes and officials, who will be taking part in the games, will still have an opportunity to vote.

Alternattiva Demokratika also urged the other parties and the commission to find a solution to the problem and avoid a repeat of the situation that had occurred in 2003 when the Maltese national waterpolo team had to give three walkovers in the European Cup so that the players would be able to return and vote in the general election.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com