With polling about two weeks away, Election Commission (EC) officials are facing challenges collecting advance votes from Chin residents staying in quarantine facilities for the upcoming election.

“People are required to stay in a quarantine facility for 14-days. But some won’t be able to cast their vote at a polling station on election day,” said Thawing Za Sang, who’s the secretary of Hakha Township Election Commission (EC). The problem is getting their signature for form-15, which is required for advance voting, he explained.

“We need to wear personal protective equipment when collecting their signatures at the quarantine centers.”

On Monday (October 26), EC began working with staff from quarantine faculties to collect ballots and will continue these efforts until it is finished.

Lin Kyaw, secretary of Chin State EC, told Khonumthung News that staff will also go door to door between October 29 and November 5 to collect advance ballots from anyone aged 60-years or older, who can’t vote at a polling station for health reasons.

Eligible voters who cannot return to their original constituency by the November 8 election day may also vote in advance.

Chin State’s public health department said on October 16 there were 303 people staying at government quarantine facilities and 136 were in-home quarantine.

There are 332,698 eligible voters registered to vote in Chin State.