The OSCE and the United Nations update Kosovo voters' list

PRISTINA, 11 July 2002 - In order for people living in Kosovo to be eligible to vote at the 26 October municipal elections, they must register with the United Nations and be 18 years of age on Election Day. People can register at one of the 32 United Nations Municipal Civil Registration Centres located within the 30 municipalities of Kosovo, but they must do it before the 17 August deadline.

In a parallel operation, the OSCE is conducting a voter services operation between 15 July and 17 August. Voter services ensure a more orderly election day by updating the civil registry from which the voters' list is drawn and by informing voters where to vote. Voter services also gives displaced persons the choice to vote for the municipality where they lived on 1 January 1998, or to have what is known as an absentee vote.

In Kosovo, 30 voter services centres in certain geographical locations within the municipalities will provide services. The centres are often co-located with the United Nations Municipal Civil Registration Centres.

People who live far away from the centres or do not have access to that part of the municipality will be serviced by mobile centres and teams at sites that will be open for shorter duration throughout the municipalities. In total, approximately 175 geographical locations will be covered during the period to make sure everyone has an opportunity to participate in the electoral process.

For example in the municipality of Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, a centre will be located in the municipality building in the southern part of Mitrovicë/Mitrovica town, while mobile centres will operate in other parts of the municipality. Similarly, there will be a voter services centre in Strpce/Shtërpcë town while other areas in the Strpce/Shtërpcë municipality will be covered by mobile teams. This should ensure that this important service reaches all potential voters. OSCE material distributed to guide the voters list these geographical sites and should not be mistaken for municipality names.

Outside the province there is no civil registration for Kosovo voters, so internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in Serbia proper and Montenegro must register as voters to be able to take part in the electoral process. Between 15 July and 17 August the OSCE, in co-operation with the Serbian and Montenegrin Commissariats for Refugees, will operate a total of 100 fixed and mobile voter services centres, often located in areas with many IDPs.

By conducting voter services, the OSCE aims to deliver upon its commitment to enable individuals from all of Kosovo's communities to participate in the electoral process.