People on a suspended sentence will in future still be able to vote – and consequently be elected to office – according to amendments to the Constitution and various electoral laws presented in Parliament yesterday.

Introducing the second reading of the Bill, Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici said that, while not earth-shattering in importance, the fact that the Constitution was to be changed rendered the changes important. Other amendments related to technical aspects of advance voting.

Dr Bonnici said one of the amendments allowed a person on a suspended sentence to vote, meaning these people could serve on local councils or as MEPs.

He said the current opinion in Europe seemed to be that even prisoners should be able to vote.

However, this was not, as yet, the case in Malta.

The proposed amendment to enfranchise those with a suspended sentence was an important step in the direction of enfranchising convicts, which reflected current thinking in Europe.

He said that an attempt in this direction had been made by the previous administration but this had been rather lackadaisical and inconsistent. The amendments were intended to remove inconsistencies and bring the act more in line with current legal thought.

He said amendments to the Constitution were fundamental since they affected the right to vote and rendered a country democratic or otherwise.

Democratic checks and balances were normally the fruit of sacrifices by the generations

The checks and balances for democratic behaviour were enshrined in the Constitution and were normally the fruit of sacrifices by the generations.

Voting came with the presumption of having shaped an informed opinion, mainly through the delimitation of an age base.

Another limitation was the requirement of six months’ residence over a period of 18 months before the election.

The Bill also presented amendments related to advance voting.

Elderly people residing in retirement homes and St Vincent de Paul Residence would now vote a week before the elections.

The retirement homes would have to present an updated list of residents 14 days before election day. Hospital patients would now be voting on the Thursday before the election.

The Bill would thereby facilitate voting for people in homes and for hospital patients.