Have you ever thought of boarding an Air Malta plane and sitting beside a ballot box accompanied by at least five people?
Anyone flying to Cyprus in June may very well be regaled with the experience if the Labour Party's proposal to allow Maltese athletes participating in the Games for the Small States of Europe to vote goes through.
The party (PL) has suggested flying a ballot box to Cyprus in the morning of election day on June 6 and then bringing it back in the afternoon.
The solution was immediately shot down by the Nationalist Party, which described it as "mediocre" and "discriminatory" because voters in other countries would not have the same privilege.
The PL also suggested the box should be accompanied by officials from the Electoral Commission and representatives of the political parties.
It did not refer to the local council elections that will be held on the same day in 23 localities, which could mean that a second ballot box would have to accompany the first.
The Malta Olympic Committee had asked political parties and the Electoral Commission to find a solution so that about 120 athletes and officials taking part in the games will be able to vote in the European Parliament elections. The games start on June 1 and end on June 6, the same day the EP election will be held in Malta.
The PN said the PL proposal was discriminatory because it distinguished between different voters who would not be in Malta on election day.
The party pointed out that in January it had suggested the law be changed so that every voter with a valid reason for not being in Malta on June 6 would be able to vote a week before, on May 30.
"The Labour Party in principle had accepted this solution but, for reasons known only to itself, has decided to depart from this practical solution, which would have treated every voter in an equal manner," the PN 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 (AECs).
The electoral law specifically mentions AECs as being able to vote just a day before polling day. Contrary to popular belief, members of the police force and soldiers do not vote a day before.