Polling Station Employees Cast Early Vote

Thousands of polling station employees started casting their votes on Thursday in an early election, two days before the country launches its first legislative elections in nine years on Sunday.

Polling stations opened at 7:00 a.m. for employees assigned as polling station heads and polling station clerks, said the National News Agency.

14,000 employees are scheduled to vote today, before the polling stations close at 7:00 p.m.

Observers from the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) were seen standing inside the polling stations in different voting districts.

Governor of the South, Mansour Daou, praised the state’s measures ensuring a calm electoral process, and said: “Sidon Serail is fully prepared for today’s and Sunday’s election,” urging people to “practices their constitutional right."

For his part, North Lebanon Governor Ramzi Nohra said: “The security situation is under control and no one will be allowed to violate the laws in force and undermine security."

He explained “the ballot boxes will be transferred to the Banque du Liban under strict security when the voting closes at 7 p.m.”

Lebanon will hold its general elections based on a complex proportional representation system replacing a majoritarian winner-takes-all system.

Lebanese expats, who cast their votes from abroad for the first time in Lebanese history, have also cast early votes late in April.