According to the National Election Commission, 1,086,687 absentee voters have been registered for the 18^th Presidential election.

The figure accounts for 2.7% of the total number of eligible voters on the voters’ list (40,483,589), which has increased by 275,932 from 810,755 eligible absentee voters in the 17^th Presidential election and by 224,820 from 861,867 absentee voters in the 19th National Assembly election.

973,430 out of the confirmed absentee voters may cast their ballots at polling stations for absentee voters. By social positions, the number of military people and police officials is 521,174, making up 53.5% of the entire absentee voters while the number of election management personnel including poll workers comes to 99,326. 106,197 absentee voters, on the other hand, may vote at their current residential places such as nursing homes, hospitals, homes, etc.

Meanwhile, the number of crewmen who will participate in the Shipboard Voting system to be introduced for the first time in the upcoming Presidential election is 7,060. By types of vessels, 723 crewmen are currently on board pelagic fishing vessels, 150 on board outport passenger vessels, 4,073 on board outport freight vessels and 2,114 on board foreign vessels for employment. By areas, Busan has 3,006 registered absentee voters, the largest number of all (42.6%) while Sejong-si has 7, the smallest number.

The election commissions in each area are due to send out absentee voting papers, absentee voting guides and each candidate’s election leaflets to confirmed absentee voters by December 10.

Those registered as absentee voters may cast their ballots at their nearest polling stations established for absentee voters across the nation for 2 days from December 13 to 14. They are required to carry the absentee voting papers sent by the election commissions.

Absentee voting hours are 6am to 4 pm every day according to the Public Official Election Act revised last October. It should be noted that the ballot papers marked by absentee voters in any other places than designated polling stations shall be regarded as invalid.

The persons to vote at their residences must mark absentee voting papers with pens at their current residential places, put the papers in the envelopes and post them to the election commissions concerned. The marked papers must be returned to the election commissions concerned by 6pm on Election Day which is December 19.

The NEC is determined to intensify efforts to take enforcement action against offences such as proxy votes or interferences in votes during voting at one’s residential place. The NEC will also bring a charge against those who violate the laws without exception.

Meanwhile, absentee voting papers for crewmen to vote on shipboard will be faxed by the election commissions to the corresponding vessels by December 10. They will mark absentee voting papers at polling stations installed on vessels from December 11 through to 14, which will be faxed back to the corresponding election commissions.

To ensure fairness in shipboard voting, it has been made compulsory to have polling stations and observers in place during voting. Proxy votes by captains or interferences in votes will be strictly punished. In addition, the shield fax will be used to assure confidentiality of voting, which seals the section marked when receiving shipboard voting papers.

The NEC has kindly requested absentee voters to cast their valuable votes at the nearby polling stations from December 13 to 14.