Special voting arrangements are being put in place for people who are COVID-19 positive or in mandatory quarantine between March 12 and 25, the Electoral Commission said.
These people, it said, will only be able to vote at one of a number of special centres being set up for the purpose and not at the place indicated on their voting document.
The centres have been set up with the approval of the health authorities, who will also be passing on to the commission the details of these people.
The commission said voters who choose to benefit from early release from quarantine will still be required to vote only at one of these centres.
They shall be receiving instructions as to which centre they should attend to cast their vote.
Malta's general election will be held on March 26. Voting traditionally takes place in polling stations set up in each town and village.
The commission said that people on the list who wished to benefit from early voting, casting their vote on March 19, may do so by presenting a declaration to the Electoral Commission. This is to be sent by e-mail on covid-19.electoral@gov.mt, with the voter declaring their intention to avail themselves of the early voting opportunity. The legal deadline for the submission of such a declaration expires on March 18 at noon.
The commission said people who are abroad and who will be travelling to Malta to vote are to ensure that they make the necessary preparations in a timely manner and plan their travel arrangements to ensure that they can collect their voting document by the deadline allowed by law, and also to be able to make the necessary contacts with the health authorities with regard to any quarantine period that may be required, which period shall start to apply upon their arrival in Malta.
Anyone who does not collect their voting document by midnight of March 24, or is COVID-19 positive or in mandatory quarantine and is not included in the list being given to the commission by the health authorities by March 25 at 9pm, will not be able to vote.
Further information regarding these arrangements may be obtained on telephone 2226 1010, between 8am to 2pm and from 3 to 8pm. The public may also send any queries by e-mail on covid-19.electoral@gov.mt.