Polling stations open to over 18 million voters

The polling stations for the presidential election opened on Sunday to more than 18 million Romanian voters. 

Nationwide, there are 18,748 polling stations. According to the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP), the total number of voters registered with the permanent electoral lists is 18,217,156 for this election. 

Citizens can vote by producing a valid identity document, issued by the Romanian state, respectively: an identity card; electronic identity card; provisional identity card; identity passbook; diplomatic passport; electronic diplomatic passport; service passport; electronic service passport; simple passport; simple electronic passport; temporary simple passport; the travel document; military passbook. 

Voters in their area of domicile or residence on election day can vote only at the polling station where the domicile or residence area has been distributed; if outside, they can vote at any polling station. 

The members of the electoral bureau of the polling stations as well as the computer operators of the electoral bureau of the polling stations and the security staff vote at the polling stations where they carry out their duties. Voters with reduced mobility can vote at any polling station that provide adequate access to the voting booth. 

A special ballot box will be used for bed-ridden voters; voters who on election day are elsewhere in the country and who because of the specific activity they carry out cannot show up at the polling station; enfranchised prisoners. 

Romanians abroad began casting their ballots on Friday. They could also opt for postal voting. 

The polling stations in the country in the first round of the presidential election will close on Sunday at 21:00hrs, EET. Voting can be extended until 23:59hrs for voters who are at the polling station at 21:00hrs or outside the polling station waiting to cast their ballots. 

There are 14 candidates running. If none of the candidates secures a majority of votes validly cast by the voters registered with the permanent electoral lists, a second round will be held on November 24, between the first two vote getters. The election will be won by the candidate who gets the highest number of votes validly cast. The term of office of Romania's President is five years.