Page 155 - Conducting Elections during COVID-19

SOUTH KOREA 137

• The polling station staff goes to the identification stage in the polling station (they take the
identification form and ID card with them)
• The polling station staff check the identification information (the polling station manager and
staff check the identification form)

• The polling staff goes back to the temporary polling booth and the voter receives the envelope
and ballot paper (Received the ballot paper from their seat)
• Polling Station Staff move to the Temporary Polling Station (polling station observers move with
them)
• The polling station staff gives the temporary polling station envelope (with the ballot paper
inside) to the voter (observers watch the process)
• The voter marks the ballot paper (then places it inside the temporary polling station envelope
and seals it)
• The voter gives the sealed envelope to the polling station staff.
• The polling station staff moves into the polling station (with observers)

• The polling station staff gives the temporary polling station envelope to the polling station
manager (with the ballot inside, observers watching)
• The polling station manager places it inside the ballot box (observers watching)
• The voter places the gloves into the bin provided and leaves. The polling booth and marking
device are disinfected
COVID-19 Precautions

Polling station staff provided guidance to maintain a distance of one meter or more meters between
voters inside and outside the polling stations. If a polling station was crowded inside, a voter waiting at
the entrance of the polling station after the checking of temperature, was allowed to enter the polling
station only after the number of voters in the polling station had come down.

Polling station staff also regularly disinfected election equipment touched by voters using disinfecting
tissues such as polling booths, marking devices and ballot boxes.

NEC provided guidance to polling station staff and observers on refraining from unnecessary
conversations, even between voters.
(B) Voting Methods for Confirmed COVID-19 Patients

Home Voting: The local governments allowed home voting registrations related to COVID-19 if received
as a copy (by email, facsimile, KakaoTalk, or text message) after checking whether the voters voluntarily
and willingly registered for the purpose.

The NEC decided that voters who had been confirmed as COVID-19 patients before the end of the
home voting registration period and who were hospitalised, in a care centre or in isolation at home
would be eligible for home voting.
When receiving home voting ballot papers (mail ballots), the NEC strengthened hygiene controls,
including staff wearing masks and using hand sanitizer regularly.
Voters were asked to wear a mask, disposable gloves and take other measures during the home voting
process (including when receiving the ballot papers). After the voter had marked their ballots and put it
into the envelope, the return envelope was handed over to the concerned officials.
Special Early Voting Polling Stations

Eight care centres that were caring for patients who had cases of COVID-19 confirmed after the home
voting registration period ended were isolated and could not vote by a standard method.

COVID-19 Special Precautions
The polling station manager and staff wore level D protective clothing worn by medical personnel.
Items such as polling booths and stationary used at early voting polling stations were disposed of
at the facility, and relevant equipment used at special early voting stations such as early voting IT
equipment, ballot boxes, marking devices and return envelopes were transferred after disinfection and
sterilisation.