South Korean Parliament Passes Bill That Allows Special Voting Hours for COVID-19 Patients

South Korea shows you can still hold a national election during a pandemic without relying on mail in voting:

A parliamentary panel on Thursday passed a bill to allow COVID-19 patients and people in quarantine to vote from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the day of the March 9 presidential election after regular polling closes.

The revision to the Public Official Election Act passed the National Assembly’s special political reform committee.

In order to cast their votes, virus patients and quarantined people need to get temporary leave permits from health authorities. 

However, quarantined people living in rural areas with mobility difficulties are permitted to cast their votes before 6 p.m.

The bill will now go through the parliamentary legislation and judiciary committee before being put to a vote at a plenary session of the National Assembly next Monday. 

The revision came amid concerns that the ongoing virus situation may prevent hundreds of thousands people from casting their ballots on election day.

Yonhap

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