Latest Measures to Hold Elections Explained

Head of the Election Headquarters at the Interior Ministry, Jamal Orf, expounded on measures taken ahead of Election Day on Friday when some cities across the country will see the holding of four simultaneous elections.
“We have prepared 67,000 ballot boxes for the presidential election and 75,000 boxes for city and village council elections,” Orf was quoted as saying by IRNA.
Midterm elections for the parliament and the Assembly of Experts are set to be held on the same day. Some 1.5 million personnel are involved in the election process and vote counting.
Iran has also set up 450 ballot boxes around the world to give expatriate Iranians a chance to participate in the 13th presidential election, Orf noted.
He added, “Some 59,310 million are eligible to vote in the June 18 election and 1.392 million of them are first-time voters.”
To stave off the Covid-19 outbreak, Orf explained that the election headquarters have expanded voting hours. “Voting will begin one hour earlier at 7 a.m. and if necessary, it can continue until two hours past midnight.”
He added, “All polling stations will be disinfected and everyone is required to wear facemasks and comply with social distancing rules.”
If quarantined patients are willing to vote, the Interior Ministry with assistance from the Iranian Red Crescent Society will take the ballot box to the patient.
The Red Crescent Society will also station one health supervisor in each polling place to monitor adherence to health protocols devised by the National Coronavirus Headquarters for the election day.
If no presidential candidate is able to secure the majority of votes, the runoff election is scheduled to be held one week later on June 25.
According to Orf, latest polls suggest a 37% to 48% participation rate in the presidential election.