On 18 November, a Facebook user known for frequently spreading disinformation, Irma Khakhutaishvili, published identical posts on her two accounts in which she wrote about the practice of voting by emigrants. According to Khakhutaishvili, “numerous countries” do not open polling stations abroad for their own citizens. She names nine states as examples: the United Kingdom, Hungary, Ukraine, Greenland, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Cyprus, and Israel. The author of the post draws a parallel with the planned amendments to Georgia’s Election Code, according to which Georgian citizens will no longer be able to vote abroad.
Khakhutaishvili’s post about voting in elections held in various countries by emigrants is partially false. Some of the countries she mentions do open polling stations abroad, mainly in embassies/consulates. The others allow citizens abroad to vote by mail or through a proxy, without leaving their place of residence.
Of the nine countries listed in the post, the majority allow citizens living abroad to vote in parliamentary and presidential elections, as well as in referendums, from the country in which they reside. Several different practices are used for this purpose: opening polling stations, voting by mail, and proxy voting. Accordingly, the author’s claim that these countries do not open polling stations abroad is partially false.
For reference, on 17 November, the Speaker of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, announced that an amendment is planned to the “Election Code,” according to which citizens will only be able to vote within the borders of Georgia. “The only requirement is to return to the homeland once every four years and vote in Georgia,” Papuashvili said.
What voting opportunities do the above-mentioned countries actually provide for their citizens who live abroad temporarily or permanently?
- United Kingdom
The UK belongs to the category of countries that do not open polling stations abroad. However, all of its citizens can vote by mail or through a proxy without leaving their place of residence. To do this, a person must meet the following criteria: 1. Must be a British citizen; 2. Must have been registered in the past as a voter or must have previously lived in the UK. Registration for citizens living abroad is valid for three years, after which they must renew their registration. As noted, they may vote by mail, appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf, or vote in person at a polling station in the UK if they are in the country on election day.
It is noteworthy that in the past, under the law, the right to vote from abroad was limited to a maximum of 15 years. However, in 2022, Parliament abolished this rule and removed the restriction.
- Hungary
Hungary also allows its citizens living abroad to participate in referendums and parliamentary elections without leaving the foreign country in which they reside. However, the rules differ during parliamentary elections depending on whether the voter has a residence address in Hungary. This determines whether a Hungarian citizen can vote both for a party list and for a candidate in the constituency (where he or she has a registered address). Those who have a Hungarian address vote at Hungarian embassies/consulates in the country where they reside and may vote both for a party and a majoritarian candidate. Those who do not have a registered Hungarian address can only vote for the party list, and they do so by mail.
- Ukraine
Irma Khakhutaishvili also claims that Ukraine does not open polling stations abroad. In reality, according to Ukrainian law, citizens have the right to vote in presidential and parliamentary elections from outside the country. However, polling stations are opened only in Ukrainian embassies/consulates. This creates practical difficulties because the number of Ukrainian emigrants is extremely high, especially after the war that began in 2022, and consulates are not equipped to receive tens of thousands of citizens on election day. Interestingly, in a survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology among Ukrainian emigrants in Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic, only one-third confirmed their willingness to participate in the next elections.
- Greenland and Denmark
Greenland and Denmark have almost identical voting rules. Unlike previous countries, citizens residing abroad, with rare exceptions, cannot participate in elections held in Denmark and Greenland. Voting by mail from abroad is allowed only if the citizen is temporarily abroad for the following reasons: vacation; business trip; study program; medical treatment; government posting; serving as a member of parliament; working in an international organization of which Denmark is a member; working for a Danish humanitarian aid organization. Danes may also vote if they plan to return to the country within two years after leaving. Additionally, a Danish citizen living abroad is considered a resident of Denmark and an eligible voter if his/her spouse or registered partner resides in Denmark and they have an officially registered shared address.
- Canada
Canadian citizens aged 18 or over who have lived in Canada at some point in their lives but who now live abroad or are temporarily abroad may vote in federal elections and referendums by mail. It is noteworthy that in the past, citizens who had lived outside Canada for more than five years were restricted from voting, but in 2019 the Supreme Court overturned this law.
- Iceland
Iceland has rules similar to those of Canada. To vote, a person must be at least 18, an Icelandic citizen, and must at some point have had legal permanent residence in Iceland. Emigrants retain this right automatically for 16 years, after which they must re-register, and the renewed registration is valid for four years. They are allowed to vote early, within a designated period, through local consulates/embassies and by mail.
- Cyprus
Cypriot law provides for the opening of polling stations abroad and allows citizens living abroad to vote. However, the following criterion must be met: the person must have been a permanent resident of Cyprus for at least 6 months before submitting the application. In addition, for parliamentary elections, in order for a polling station to be opened in a foreign city, at least 30 Cypriot citizens in that city must express readiness to participate in the elections. Because of this, the interest of all willing voters cannot always be accommodated. However, it is noteworthy that during the 2023 presidential elections, 35 polling stations were opened in 25 cities abroad, most of them in Greece and the UK due to the high number of emigrants.
- Israel
Irma Khakhutaishvili also names Israel as an example. According to Israel’s Election Code, citizens who are outside the country on election day are not allowed to vote abroad. Exceptions are diplomats, government officials, and military personnel.
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