According to the National Election Commission, those with disabilities who are not able to visit (early) polling stations or those staying outside of the Gu/Si/Gun districts holding the upcoming repeat/by-elections should apply for mail-in voting from July 8 to 12 to vote by mail at their residence including homes, hospitals, nursing homes.

In addition, the NEC embarked on special preventive and regulatory actions against false applications for mail-in voting and proxy voting.

p Only those who have applied between July 8 and 12 can vote by mail.

Those who can apply for mail-in voting include the following:

-          Those staying in hospitals, nursing homes, detention centers, prisons, etc.;

-          Those with disabilities who are immobile; and

-          Military/police officials living in/on too remote barracks or ships to visit (early) polling stations. 

Also for repeat/by-elections, voters residing outside of the relevant constituencies (the relevant Gu/Si/Gun in the case the relevant constituencies are smaller than the districts governed by the relevant Gu/Si/Gun) can participate in mail-in voting.

Application can be done by submitting the completed form by post or in person to the head of Gu/Si/Gun or Eup/Myeon/Dong of one’s registered residence.

Application forms are available at the office of Gu/Si/Gun and Eup/Myeon/Dong, the NEC website (http://www.nec.go.kr), the website of the Ministry of Safety and Administration and websites of Gu/Si/Gun offices.

With application closing at 6 pm on July 12, the NEC asked those seeking to mail out the filled-out application forms to post them by July 11 at the latest, given the time required for delivery.

The NEC also said that even if the last day of the application period for mail-in voting falls on Saturday, the application forms would still be accepted and delivered before anything else. 

p Military/police officials seeking to participate in early voting on July 25 and 26 should apply online for the delivery of campaign booklets.

According to the NEC, military/police officials seeking to participate in early voting without application for mail-in voting should submit an application for delivery to the Election Commission if they wish to receive campaign booklets of candidates.

In the case of repeat/by-elections, early polling stations will only be set up in the districts holding elections.

General voters will receive campaign booklets in their residential areas while military/police officials living in barracks or on ships who do not apply for mail-in voting should apply for the delivery of campaign booklets if they wish to receive ones.

The application period lasts for 5 days from July 8 to 12 and can be done by submitting the completed forms by post or through the NEC website http://www.nec.go.kr.

Meanwhile, the NEC said that the campaign booklets of all candidates would be posted on the NEC website and asked the Ministry of National Defense/ National Police Agency to allow its military/police officials to check candidate information using PCs installed in the military bases or police stations.