Voters' Privacy (2)

Like most of my fellow Maltese, I did my civic duty and went to cast my vote at Marsascala primary school. I was allocated to polling booth 125, situated in the school hall, and this surely was one of the worst booths available as anyone entering/exiting it had to pass right next to one of the cubicles and thus had a clear view of the voter in action.

Now I do realise that the Electoral Commission has to make do with whatever facilities are available, but is it too much to expect a curtain strung up on a cheap wire [dudu] to ensure voter privacy?

There were also more assistant electoral commissioners in the booth than there were voting cubicles and again these were too close to the voters' backs. If as rumour has it, there were over 4,000 assistant commissioners assigned to this election, isn't about time that more economical measures are taken for future elections?

For instance, the Electoral Commission would only pay out fees to two commissioners it assigns to each polling booth (this would save over Lm160,000, certainly much more than would be needed for curtains in our voting booths!).

Political parties and other candidates can still nominate their assistant electoral commissioners to represent them on a voluntary basis (isn't politics about service?). Future elections should be grouped together every five years, as at present we are having nothing but elections year after year; this could also include legislation to hold local council elections with general/EP elections, and reduce some of the expense involved.