Building on a training course conducted in March, the State Election Commission together with the OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized a training session for municipal electoral commissions on how to train polling station staff ahead of 11 June parliamentary elections.
Duties and responsibilities of polling station staff, preparation of election materials, voting procedures, and counting ballots - were some of the topics discussed with representatives from municipal electoral commissions, who will further train their polling station staff across the country.
Darko Brajović, Mission's Democratization Acting Programme Manager, said that polling station staff play a central role in election administration. "Their role is to ensure that voters are able to cast their vote in secret, free from influence and in a calm atmosphere, building public confidence in the election process," said Brajović. He pointed to the Commission's Handbook for Polling Station Staff as a useful tool for all poll workers.
Elisa Nurković of the State Election Commission said that this training session should ensure that election management bodies have the ability to fulfil their duties on Election Day. "I thank the OSCE Mission and the Union of the Blind for their continuous support and co-operation in improving the electoral process and the accessibility of polling stations for persons with disabilities," said Nurković.
As a guest speaker, Katarina Bigović-Kulić of the Union of the Blind, introduced participants to standards in voting for people with disabilities, and pointed out to some of the most common problems that happen on Election Day.
The OSCE Mission has worked alongside the State Election Commission and municipal electoral commissions for over six years, and it will continue supporting their work in line with OSCE commitments and principles.
* This activity is part of the OSCE Mission's 2023 project with the State Election Commission and is not linked to the current election observation activities conducted by ODIHR.
