By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Nov 6: Voters casting their ballots by post can have their identities verified without revealing their voting choices, as the Election Commission (EC) separates their identity declarations from their sealed ballot papers before counting.
Election Commission Strategic Communications Assistant Director Nomi Juliana Mohd Redzuan Min said the serial numbers printed on postal ballot papers were used for administrative verification to ensure the ballot papers issued were genuine and matched the relevant records.
“It’s for administrative purposes only. We need to tally and know whether that is our ballot paper or not. We cannot know who you voted for,” she explained during a media briefing on Sarawak Election 2026 at Hilton Hotel here today.
She said when postal ballots are opened, EC officers first check whether Form 2, the voter’s identity declaration, is properly completed and whether its serial number matches the ballot paper.
“We don’t look at who you voted for yet,” she said, explaining that the declaration forms and sealed ballot envelopes are then separated and placed in different trays.
The declaration forms are kept separately, while the sealed ballot envelopes are signed and sealed by party agents before the ballot papers are taken out for counting.
Nomi said this process allows the EC to verify the postal ballots without identifying the candidates chosen by individual voters.
Postal voters receive a package containing envelope B, envelope A, Form 2 and a ballot paper. They must complete and date Form 2, which must also be witnessed by a Malaysian citizen aged 18 or above. A spouse or child can act as a witness if they meet the age requirement.
Voters must also check that the serial number on the ballot paper matches the numbers on envelope A and Form 2. After marking one candidate, they must fold the ballot paper and place it in envelope A, then return envelope A together with Form 2 inside envelope B.
The completed ballot must reach the designated Returning Officer’s office by 5pm on polling day, Dec 12. It can be returned by post without a postage stamp or delivered directly to the office stated on envelope B.
Who can vote by post?
Nomi said postal voting is available under three categories.
Category 1A covers media practitioners, EC personnel, election workers deployed in the field, and military and police personnel unable to vote during early voting. Applications close on Nov 25.
Category 1B is for Malaysian voters working or studying overseas, while Category 1C covers employees of 11 agencies whose applications have been approved by the EC. Applications for both categories close on Nov 20.
She clarified that working offshore or in a particular sector does not automatically qualify someone for postal voting.
“If you work offshore, your company has not applied to us. Not everyone can simply apply for postal voting,” she said, adding that the agency or employer must first apply to the EC and obtain its approval.
Applications for postal voting opened on Oct 26.
Early voting and key election dates
Early voting will be held on Dec 8 for police and military personnel and their spouses, as well as General Operations Force personnel and their spouses.
Nomi explained that police personnel generally vote at police stations, while military and General Operations Force personnel vote at their camps, where their spouses are also eligible to vote.
The key dates for the 13th Sarawak Election are:
Nov 20: Closing date for Category 1B and 1C postal voting applications.
Nov 25: Closing date for Category 1A postal voting applications.
Nov 28: Nomination day.
Dec 8: Early voting.
Dec 11: Campaigning ends at 11.59pm.
Dec 12: Polling day. Postal ballots must reach the designated Returning Officer’s office by 5pm.
— DayakDaily
