ACT No. II of 2022 AN ACT to amend the General Elections Act, Cap. 354.

I assent.

(L.S.)

GEORGE VELLA

President

25th January, 2022

ACT No. II of 2022

AN ACT to amend the General Elections Act, Cap. 354.

BE IT ENACTED by the President, by and with the advice and

consent of the House of Representatives, in this present Parliament

assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

The short title of this Act is the General Elections

(Amendment) Act, 2022 and this Act shall be read and construed as

one with the General Elections Act, hereinafter referred to as "the

principal Act".

Immediately after sub-article (3) of article 56 of the principal

Act there shall be added the following new sub-article

"(4) Should the extraordinary circumstances referred

to in sub-article (3)(g) of article 77 arise, the

C o m m i s s i o n m a y, a f t e r c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h t h e

Superintendent of Public Health, appoint such officers

from amongst healthcare workers in Malta to assist the

Assistant Electoral Commissioners, without assuming in

any way any of the duties of an Assistant Electoral

Commissioner, at mixed polling places designated in

terms of the said sub-article (3)(g), and this always

subject to such terms and conditions as the Commission

may deem fit, and such officers shall be subject to the

same obligations as Assistant Electoral Commissioners

with regard to the voting of persons whom they have

assisted to vote

Provided that a person may be appointed as an

officer to assist the Assistant Electoral Commissioners

even if he is not registered as a voter in the last published

Electoral Register, but a person may not be so appointed

(a) if he is a candidate for election to the

House; or

(b) if he is a relative by consanguinity or

affinity up to the second degree of any candidate for

election to the House; or

(c) to assist with the poll in the electoral

division in which he resides; or

(d) to assist with the poll in the electoral

division where he habitually exercises his profession

or calling; or

(e) if he is manifestly, in the opinion of the

Commission after consulting the party delegates,

unsuitable or not sufficiently qualified to perform

the functions of an officer to assist the Assistant

Electoral Commissioners

Provided that such person as appointed

by the Commission shall not be present whilst the

voter is voting and in each and every case, every

voter shall vote in the presence of the Assistant

Electoral Commissioners alone.".

Article 77 of the principal Act shall be amended as follows

(a) in paragraph (e) of sub-article (3) thereof, the words

"same Facility." shall be substituted by the words "same

Facility;" and immediately thereafter there shall be added the

following new paragraphs

"(f) all the voters serving as Police officers

in the Police Force up to fourteen (14) days before

polling day shall only vote in the place indicated in

this sub-article and it shall be the duty of the

Commissioner of Police or his delegate to submit to

the Commission, up to fourteen (14) days prior to

the polling day, a list with the details of the name,

surname, identity card number and the date of birth

of such voters

Provided that, such information shall

only be strictly used for the purposes of this sub-

article and shall be sealed and stored in the room

designated by the Commission to hold all the ballot

boxes immediately following the publication of the

official result;

(g) at such places which are designated for

registered voters who are suffering from a notifiable

disease as may be specified by the Superintendent of

Public Health by notice in the Gazette for such

purposes or who are in mandatory quarantine related

to such notifiable disease, as the Commission may,

by notice in the Gazette, establish after consultation

with the Superintendent of Public Health

Provided that the Superintendent of

Public Health shall issue such notice, not later than

one (1) day after the publication of the Writ,

specifying the said notifiable disease(s) and shall

furthermore declare that the said notifiable

disease(s) requires the introduction of other ad hoc

voting arrangements for voters suffering from the

same and, or who are in mandatory quarantine as a

result of such notifiable disease(s).";

(b) in paragraph (a) of sub-article (3A) thereof, the

words "before polling day." shall be substituted by the words

"before polling day:" and immediately thereafter there shall be

added the following new provisos

"Provided that any voter included in the list

compiled by the Superintendent of Public Health pursuant

to sub-article (4)(f) shall be entitled to cast his vote at the

place designated pursuant to sub-article (3)(g) between

00 am and 10.00 pm seven (7) days before polling day, if

he declares his intention to the Commission to avail

himself of this possibility by noon of the Friday before the

above-mentioned day, that is the seven (7) days before

polling day

Provided further that any voter who is suffering

from a notifiable disease as may be specified pursuant to

sub-article (3)(g), or who is in mandatory quarantine

related to such notifiable disease, on the Thursday before

the day that is the seven (7) days before polling day, but

who would cease to be in such a situation by polling day

and will not be in Malta or will be hospitalised in a hospital

on the day of the election, shall be entitled to cast his vote

at the place indicated pursuant to sub-article (3)(a) between

7.00 am and 10.00 pm seven (7) days before polling day, if

he declares his intention to the Commission to avail

himself of this possibility by noon of the Friday before the

above-mentioned day, that is the seven (7) days before

polling day

Provided further that the declaration referred to in

the preceding provisos may be made to the Commission in

such manner as may be determined by the Commission

which declaration may not necessarily require a sworn

declaration.";

(c) in sub-article (3B) thereof, the words "vote at the

place" shall be substituted by the words "vote only at the place";

(d)

sub-article (4) thereof shall be amended as follows

(i) in paragraph (a) thereof, the words "serve as an

Assistant" shall be substituted by the words "serve as a

Polling Place Officer, a Chairperson or an Assistant" and

the words "reserves, shall" shall be substituted by the

words "reserves and all Police Officers in the Police Force,

shall";

(ii) in the proviso to paragraph (a) thereof, the

words "between 7.00 a.m. and 10.00 p.m." shall be

substituted by the words "between 7.00 a.m. and 10.00

p.m.:" and immediately thereafter there shall be added the

following new proviso

"Provided further that any Assistant

Electoral Commissioner, including those selected to

serve as reserves, whose name is included in the list

compiled by the Superintendent of Public Health

pursuant to paragraph (f) shall only vote at the place

indicated pursuant to sub-article (3)(g) and in

accordance with the provisions of sub-article

(3A)(a).";

(iii) in paragraph (b) thereof, the words "referred to

in article 59(6)" shall be substituted by the words "referred

to in article 59(6) and whose name is included in the list

mentioned in paragraph (f) of sub-article (3)" and the

words "the publication of that list." shall be substituted by

the words "the publication of the list mentioned in sub-

article (6) of article 59 or shall have resigned from the

Police Force after the submission of the list mentioned in

paragraph (f) of sub-article (3). In the case of any new

member joining the Police Force after the submission of

the said list, he shall have the right to vote only on polling

day.";

(iv) in paragraph (d) thereof, the words "Gozo

General Hospital, shall vote" shall be substituted by the

words "Gozo General Hospital, shall only vote" and the

words "these voters shall be." shall be substituted by the

words "these voters shall be:" and immediately thereafter

there shall be added the following new proviso

"Provided that any voter included in the

list compiled by the Superintendent of Public Health

pursuant to paragraph (f), but who would no longer be

registered as a patient at one of the above mentioned

hospitals on polling day, shall only vote at the place

designated pursuant to sub-article (3)(g) between 7.00

am and 10.00 pm, and only on Thursday before polling

day.";

(v) in sub-paragraph (i) of paragraph (e) thereof,

the words "shall vote on the Thursday" shall be substituted

by the words "shall vote only on the Thursday";

(vi) in sub-paragraph (ii) of paragraph (e) thereof,

the words "shall vote on the Saturday" shall be substituted

by the words "shall vote only on the Saturday"; and

(vii) immediately after paragraph (e) thereof there

shall be added the following new paragraph

"(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of

this Act, registered voters who are suffering from a

notifiable disease as may be specified by the

Superintendent of Public Health by notice in the

Gazette or who shall be in mandatory quarantine

related to such notifiable disease on polling day

shall only vote in a place designated in accordance

with sub-article (3)(g) on such day and at such time

on or before polling day, as may be established by

the Commission after consultation with the

Superintendent

for

Public

Health

and

communicated to such individuals

Provided that for such purposes it shall

be the duty of the Superintendent of Public Health

or his authorised officer to submit to the

Commission, as soon as reasonably practicable and,

at the latest, up to 9:00 pm on Friday before polling

day, a list with the name, surname, identity card

number, date of birth and contact details of persons

who on polling day shall be suffering from a

notifiable disease as specified pursuant to sub-

article (3)(g) or who shall be in mandatory

quarantine related to the same notifiable disease,

and such information shall only be strictly used for

the purposes of this sub-article and subject to the

same conditions as in articles 107 and 108

Provided further that the list submitted

by the Superintendent of Public Health shall be

sealed and stored in the room designated by the

Commission to hold all the ballot boxes immediately

following the publication of the official result

Provided further that the Commission

may provide such assistance and services as it may

deem necessary, following consultation with the

Superintendent of Public Health, to enable such

persons to securely access and leave the polling

place.".

Passed by the House of Representatives at Sitting No. 536 of the

19th January, 2022.

ANĠLU FARRUGIA

Speaker

RAYMOND SCICLUNA

Clerk of the House of Representatives

€0.72

00pm sebat (7) ijiem qabel il-jum tal-votazzjoni, jekk

jiddikjara l-intenzjoni tiegħu lill-Kummissjoni li se

jagħmel użu minn din il-possibbiltà sa nofsinhar fil-jum

tal-Ġimgħa ta’ qabel il-jum imsemmi hawn fuq, u ċjoè l-

ġurnata ta’ sebat (7) ijiem qabel jum il-votazzjoni

Iżda wkoll id-dikjarazzjoni msemmija fil-

provisos ta’ hawn qabel tista’ ssir lill-Kummissjoni b’dak

il-mod li l-Kummissjoni tista’ tiddetermina liema

di kj ar az zj oni m hux bi lf or s ti st a’ t kun ti rri kj edi

dikjarazzjoni ġuramentata.";

(ċ) fis-subartikolu (3B) tiegħu, il-kliem "jivvutaw fil-

post" għandhom jiġu sostitwiti bil-kliem "jivvutaw biss fil-post";

(d)

is-subartikolu (4) tiegħu għandu jiġi emendat kif ġej

(i) fil-paragrafu (a) tiegħu, il-kliem "iservi bħala

Assistent" għandhom jiġu sostitwiti bil-kliem "iservi bħala

Uffiċjal tal-Post tal-Votazzjoni, Chairperson jew Assistent"

u l-kliem "riżerva, għandu" għandhom jiġu sostitwiti bil-

kliem "riżerva u kull Uffiċjal tal-Pulizija fil-Korp tal-

Pulizija, għandu";

(ii) fil-proviso għall-paragrafu (a) tiegħu, il-kliem

"bejn is-7.00 a.m. u l-10.00 p.m." għandhom jiġu sostitwiti

bil-kliem "bejn is-7.00 a.m. u l-10.00 p.m.:" u minnufih

wara għandu jiżdied il-proviso ġdid li ġej

"Iżda wkoll kull Assistent Kummissjonarju

Elettorali, inkluż dawk magħżula bħala riżervi, li

isimhom huwa inkluż fil-lista miġbura mis-

Suprintendent tas-Saħħa Pubblika skont il-paragrafu

(f) għandhom jivvutaw biss fil-post indikat skont is-

subartikolu (3)(g) u skont id-dispożizzjonijiet tas-

subartikolu (3A)(a).";

(iii) fil-paragrafu (b) tiegħu, il-kliem "msemmija fl-

artikolu 59(6)" għandhom jiġu sostitwiti bil-kliem

"msemmija fl-artikolu 59(6) u dawk li isimhom huwa

inkluż fil-lista msemmija fil-paragrafu (f) tas-subartikolu

(3)" u l-kliem "l-pubblikazzjoni ta’ dik il-lista." għandhom

jiġu sostitwiti bil-kliem "l-pubblikazzjoni tal-lista

msemmija fis-subartikolu (6) tal-artikolu 59 jew għandha

tkun irriżenjat mill-Korp tal-Pulizija wara s-sottomissjoni

tal-lista msemmija fil-paragrafu (f) tas-subartikolu (3).

F’każ ta’ xi membru ġdid li jingħaqad mal-Korp tal-

Pulizija wara s-sottomissjoni tal-imsemmija lista, huwa

għandu jkollu l-jedd li jivvota biss fil-jum tal-votazzjoni.";

(iv) fil-paragrafu (d) tiegħu, il-kliem "fl-Isptar

Ġenerali Għawdex, għandhom jivvutaw" għandhom jiġu

sostitwiti bil-kliem "fl-Isptar Ġenerali Għawdex,

għandhom jivvutaw biss" u l-kliem "ikunu dawn l-eletturi."

għandhom jiġu sostitwiti bil-kliem "ikunu dawn l-eletturi:" u

minnufih wara għandu jiżdied il-proviso ġdid li ġej

"Iżda kull elettur inkluż fil-lista miġbura

mis-Suprintendent tas-Saħħa Pubblika skont il-

paragrafu (f), iżda li ma jkunx aktar reġistrat bħala

pazjent f’wieħed mill-isptarijiet imsemmija hawn fuq

fil-jum tal-votazzjoni, għandu jivvota biss fil-post

indikat skont is-subartikolu (3)(g) bejn is-7.00am u l-

10.00pm, u biss fil-jum tal-Ħamis qabel il-jum tal-

votazzjoni.";

(v) fis-subparagrafu (i) tal-paragrafu (e) tiegħu, il-

kliem "għandhom jivvutaw fil-jum tal-Ħamis" għandhom

jiġu sostitwiti bil-kliem "għandhom jivvutaw biss fil-jum

tal-Ħamis";

(vi) fis-subparagrafu (ii) tal-paragrafu (e) tiegħu, il-

kliem "għandhom jivvotaw fil-jum tas-Sibt" għandhom

jiġu sostitwiti bil-kliem "għandhom jivvotaw biss fil-jum

tas-Sibt"; u

(vii) minnufih wara l-paragrafu (e) tiegħu għandu

jiżdied il-paragrafu ġdid li ġej

"(f) Minkejja d-dispożizzjonijiet l-oħra ta’

dan l-Att, votanti reġistrati li jkunu qegħdin ibatu

minn marda notifikabbli kif jista’ jiġi speċifikat

mis-Suprintendent tas-Saħħa Pubblika permezz ta’

avviż fil-Gazzetta għal dawk l-għanijiet jew li

jkunu fi kwarantina mandatorja relatata ma’ dik il-

marda

notifikabbli

fil-jum

tal-votazzjoni

għandhom jivvutaw biss f’post indikat skont is-

subartikolu (3)(g) f’dak il-jum u f’dak il-ħin fil-

jum tal-votazzjoni jew qabel, kif jista’ jiġi stabbilit

mill-Kummissjoni wara konsultazzjoni mas-

Suprintendent tas-Saħħa Pubblika u tiġi

komunikata lil dawk l-individwi

Iżda għal dawk l-għanijiet għandu jkun

id-dmir tas-Suprintendent tas-Saħħa Pubblika jew

l-uffiċjal awtorizzat tiegħu biex jissottometti lill-

Kummissjoni,

malajr

kemm

jista’

jkun

raġonevolment prattikabbli u, sa mhux aktar tard,

mid-9.00pm tal-jum tal-Ġimgħa qabel il-jum tal-

votazzjoni, lista bl-isem, kunjom, numru tal-karta

tal-identità, data tat-twelid u dettalji ta’ kuntatt ta’

persuni li fil-jum tal-votazzjoni jkunu qegħdin

ibatu minn marda notifikabbli kif speċifikata skont

is-subartikolu (3)(g) jew li jkunu qegħdin fi

kwarantina mandatorja relatata mal-istess marda

notifikabbli, u dik l-informazzjoni għandha tintuża

strettament biss għall-finijiet ta’ dan is-subartikolu

u soġġett għall-istess kondizzjonijiet bħal fl-

artikoli 107 u 108

Iżda wkoll li l-lista sottomessa mis-

Suprintendent tas-Saħħa Pubblika għandha tiġi

ssiġillata u titqiegħed fil-kamra stabbilita mill-

Kummissjoni sabiex fiha jitqiegħdu l-kaxex tal-

votazzjoni kollha minnufih wara l-pubblikazzjoni

tar-riżultat uffiċjali

Iżda wkoll il-Kummissjoni tista’

tipprovdi dik l-għajnuna u servizzi kif hija tista’

tqis meħtieġa, wara konsultazzjoni mas-

Suprintendent tas-Saħħa Pubblika, biex dawk il-

persuni jkunu jistgħu jaċċessaw u joħorġu mill-post

tal-votazzjoni b’mod sigur.".

Mgħoddi mill-Kamra tad-Deputati fis-Seduta Nru 536 tad-19 ta’

Jannar, 2022.

ANĠLU FARRUGIA

Speaker

RAYMOND SCICLUNA

Skrivan tal-Kamra tad-Deputati