Absentee Voting Registration for the April 7 By-Election Open from 16th to 20th

COVID-19 Confirmed Cases Can Be Reported via Text Message and Other Means

On the 13th, the day of the 7th nationwide local elections and the by-elections for the National Assembly, citizens are voting at a polling station set up at Jamsin Elementary School in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety will accept absentee voting applications from the 16th to the 20th ahead of the April 7 by-elections and re-elections.

On the 14th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that it plans to accept absentee voting applications from people residing in hospitals or nursing homes, or those who are physically unable to move due to severe disabilities.

In the by-elections and re-elections, people residing outside the electoral district where the by-election is held can also apply for absentee voting. According to the National Election Commission, people who have been confirmed positive for COVID-19 and are hospitalized in hospitals or living treatment centers, as well as those self-isolating after a positive diagnosis, can also vote absentee if they apply within the absentee voting application period (March 16 to March 20).

Those who wish to vote absentee must send their application form by mail or submit it in person (by themselves or a proxy) to the head of their city, county, or district office or the head of their town, township, or neighborhood office by 6 p.m. on March 20.

The application form can be downloaded from the National Election Commission or each local government’s website, and absentee voting application forms available at city, county, district offices, or town, township, neighborhood community centers can also be used.

However, for COVID-19 confirmed patients and self-quarantined individuals residing outside the electoral district where the by-election is held, external contact is difficult according to relevant laws. Therefore, as with the 21st National Assembly election, they can submit a scanned or photographed copy of the absentee voting application form via email, fax (including mobile fax), or text message to the relevant city, county, or district office.

Since email addresses and fax numbers vary by local government, applicants must check the detailed application methods on the website of the local government with jurisdiction over their address. Considering the time needed to verify absentee voting eligibility, it is recommended to apply earlier than the deadline of March 20.

Park Seong-ho, Director of Local Autonomy and Decentralization at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, said, "We will do our best to cooperate with local governments to ensure the precious voting rights of the people by facilitating absentee voting applications." He added, "Especially, voters who have been confirmed positive for COVID-19 are urged to check the absentee voting application submission methods with their local city, county, or district office and apply accordingly."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.