Royal Gazette Publishes Election Commission Regulation on Holding Referendum Voting on the Same Day as General Election, Totaling 127 Pages

The Royal Gazette has published the Election Commission's regulation regarding the conduct of referendum voting on the same day as the general election for Members of Parliament, consisting of 127 pages. The regulation takes effect from today (23 Dec) and includes examples of referendum ballots.

A reporter reported that on 22 December 2025, the Royal Gazette website publishedthe Election Commission regulation concerning the holding of referendum voting on the same day as the new Members of Parliament general election in 2025.

The Referendum Act of 2021 and its amendments stipulate that the Prime Minister shall consult with the Election Commission to set the referendum date. If it is deemed that the general election for new Members of Parliament is scheduled near the same time, the referendum vote may be held on the same day as that general election. Therefore, it is appropriate to issue the Election Commission regulation concerning referendum voting on the same day as the general election for new Members of Parliament.

By authority under Sections 5, 22, 24, 27, 28, 37, and 59 of the Organic Act on the Election Commission of 2017, together with Sections 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 22, 23, 29, 30, 31, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 59, 61, 62, 63, 65, and 67 of the Referendum Act of 2021 and its amendments, the Election Commission issues the regulation regarding referendum voting on the same day as the general election for new Members of Parliament as follows.

This regulation is titled “Election Commission Regulation on Referendum Voting on the Same Day as the General Election for New Members of Parliament, 2025,” and it shall be effective from the day following its announcement in the Royal Gazette. This regulation applies exclusively to referendum voting held concurrently with the general election for new Members of Parliament. Any matters not specified herein shall be governed by the Election Commission Regulation on Referendum Voting of 2021 and its amendments.

Voting districts

The electoral districts shall serve as the voting districts.

Voting units and voting locations

• The electoral units and polling stations shall serve as voting units and voting locations, respectively. Announcements designating electoral units and polling stations shall be considered as announcements designating voting units and voting locations.
• Additional booths shall be provided for voting within polling stations, arranged to facilitate disabled or impaired persons or the elderly.
• Prior to voting day, the provincial election director or an appointed delegate shall undertake the following:
  (1) Arrange for the procurement of voting materials and organize the voting area within the polling station to ensure ease of voting, following one of the sample layouts provided at the end of this regulation, or adapt the layout as appropriate to the local conditions of the voting location.
  (2) Use polling station signs as voting location signs as well.
  In carrying out the above, the provincial election director or delegate shall deliver to the district committee or their delegate, who in turn may assign precinct committee members to perform these tasks.

Voting locations outside voting districts and for disabled, impaired, or elderly voters

• For voting outside designated districts, the district committee shall announce a central polling station outside the electoral district as a voting location outside the voting district at least 30 days before voting, using form A.S. 1/1.
• If the district Election Commission announces a change of the central polling station outside the electoral district, the district committee or its delegate shall announce the change of the voting location outside the voting district using form A.S. 1/2, and provisions concerning voting units and locations shall apply accordingly.
• For voting locations designated for disabled, impaired, or elderly voters, the district committee shall announce a central polling station for these voters as a voting location for disabled, impaired, or elderly voters using form A.S. 1/3 at least 30 days before voting.
• If the district Election Commission announces a change of the central polling station for disabled, impaired, or elderly voters, the district committee or its delegate shall announce the change of the voting location for these voters using form A.S. 1/4, and the provisions concerning voting units and locations shall apply accordingly.

The provincial election director or their delegate shall undertake the following:

(1) Arrange for procurement of voting materials and organize the voting area outside the voting district or for disabled, impaired, or elderly voters according to one of the sample layouts at the end of this regulation, or adapt the layout according to the local conditions of the voting location.

(2) Create signs or markers to delineate the perimeter of the voting location outside the voting district or for disabled, impaired, or elderly voters, as applicable, and deliver them to the respective committee to post.

(3) Prepare signs indicating the voting location outside the voting district or for disabled, impaired, or elderly voters, as applicable, and deliver them to the respective committee to post. The provincial election director or delegate shall hand over these duties to the district committee or their delegate, who may assign the committees at those voting locations to carry out the tasks.

Eligible voters

Eligible voters must meet the qualifications and lack disqualifications as prescribed by referendum laws and have the duty to exercise their voting rights freely.

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