Page 90 - Conducting Elections during COVID-19

72 INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF CONDUCTING ELECTIONS DURING COVID-19

France

French Municipal Elections – 15 March to 28 June,
2020

The 2020 French municipal elections were held from 15 March to 28 June to renew the municipal
councils of the approximately 35,000 French communes. The first round took place on 15 March and
the second round was postponed until 28 June due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first round of local elections on 15 March 2020 did take place despite the fact that many businesses
such as restaurants, cinemas and sport centers had been closed by the order of the French government
on 14 March. A delay of the entire election was considered but was not acted upon due to concerns
voiced by the opposition.

COVID-19 Safety Precautions during first round of Elections:

On March 14, France introduced significant restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19, such as banning
gatherings of over 100 people, closing schools and nonessential shops and suspending sporting events.
However, France continued to hold local elections on March 15.
For Election Day, many protection measures were brought in place. For example:
• Polling officials were asked to wear masks and gloves;
• Voters were asked to bring their own pens to sign the voter register;

• Voting booths were disinfected on regular intervals; and
• Hand sanitizer gels were made available for voters entering and exiting the polling station.
• Before the election, candidates were allowed to hold campaign rallies but with a cap of 1,000
people.

Proxy voting is permitted in France. To avail of this facility of proxy voting, voters have to apply in
person at their area’s respective Police Station or First-instance Tribunal. However, due to COVID-19,
specific categories of persons were allowed to request proxy voting and the police come to their help:
• Voters who were in quarantine or confined due to illness;
• Voters who could not move due to a disease or disability; and
• Voters living in confinement or collective lodging (e.g., a retirement home). The director or an
agent of the institution could collect all the applications for proxy voting after he or she has been
formally selected by a magistrate or the police. A police officer would then provide necessary
facilitation.
These measures were taken to protect voters on one hand and to enhance voter participation and
turnout.
The Government issued guidelines to polling stations recommending that voters remain at least one
meter away from each other at all times. Voters were instructed to bring their own pens, to avoid
transmission of the virus through contact.

An official communiqué issued by the interior minister before the election on “the organization of
municipal elections during the COVID-19 epidemic” included provisions on:
• Polling staff composition and selection process of additional staff in case of sickness;
• Reception of materials prior to Election Day;
• Measures to be taken on Election Day for polling and counting, such as cleaning materials and
the physical layout of polling stations; and
• Instructional posters to be affixed outside of stations.
The communiqué also states that any voters who refused to use disinfectant gel while entering the
polling station may not be denied the right to vote, and that a voter who is sick may not be denied the