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‘People’s congress’ to test ban

CNRP leaders Kem Sokha (left) and Sam Rainsy speak during a press conference at a party office in Phnom Penh yesterday. Heng Chivoan

‘People’s congress’ to test ban

Op-Ed: The Phnom Penh Post

Thu, 27 March 2014

Meas Sokchea and Daniel Pye

Opposition leaders yesterday announced plans to hold a thousands-strong “people’s congress” in the capital’s Freedom Park on Sunday, despite a ban on gatherings at the site.

Cambodia National Rescue Party president Sam Rainsy and vice-president Kem Sokha, following their return from overseas trips to Australia, New Zealand and the US, said they would bring 5,000 supporters to the park.

“It is necessary to meet with citizens, and I would like to stress to the [Cambodian] People’s Party that our gathering [on Sunday] is not a demonstration,” Rainsy said. “There will be no demonstration or toppling of anything. [The CPP] cannot use [this cause] as a pretext to accuse us and not allow us to [hold public meetings].”

Rainsy added that the meetings would provide ideas for the CNRP ahead of renewed negotiations with the ruling party, which the opposition hopes will involve the most senior members of the government.

Senior CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap, however, labelled the announcement a call for an illegal demonstration, and urged the CNRP to take its seats in parliament, saying: “His ‘congress’ is just words, but the reality is a demonstration. We already know this. So I would like [Rainsy] to release his 55 fighting cocks, and the CPP’s 68 fighting cocks will be waiting in the National Assembly.”

Rainsy added that a key CNRP demand for reform of the National Election Committee had been dismissed at negotiations, and called on the CPP to put forward its counter-proposal.

“If they do not agree, please propose another idea to guarantee independence of the NEC. What [ideas] does [the CPP] have? Come on,” he said.

គណបក្សទាំងពីរមិនចុះសម្រុងគ្នាបញ្ហាកំណែទម្រង់បោះឆ្នោត

Op-Ed: VOA Khmer Services

គណបក្សទាំងពីរមិនចុះសម្រុងគ្នាបញ្ហាកំណែទម្រង់បោះឆ្នោត

គណបក្សជំទាស់ចង់បានការអនុម័តយល់ព្រមដោយសំឡេង២ភាគ៣នៃសមាជិកសភាទាំងអស់ក្នុងការសម្រេចអំពីសមាជិកគណៈកម្មាធិការជាតិរៀបចំការបោះឆ្នោត។ តែគណបក្សប្រជាជនកម្ពុជាអះអាងថា បញ្ហានេះជាការសម្រេចរបស់ថ្នាក់ដឹកនាំកំពូល ដែលគណបក្សជំទាស់ស្នើសុំឲ្យមានជំនួបនេះ។

អត្ថបទព័ត៌មានទាក់ទង

កែប្រែទំហំអក្សរ

សុខ ខេមរា

27 មិនា 2014

វ៉ាស៊ីនតោន — ក្រុមមន្ត្រីគណបក្សគ្រប់គ្រងប្រទេសនិងគណបក្សជំទាស់បានយល់ព្រមជាគោលការណ៍លើបញ្ហា១៤ចំណុច ក្នុងកិច្ចចរចាកន្លងមកដើម្បីបញ្ចៀសការជាប់គាំងនយោបាយ។ តែមកទល់ពេលនេះសូម្បីតែចំណុចដំបូងមួយ គឺការកែទម្រង់ស្ថាប័នបោះឆ្នោតគ.ជ.ប. ក៏ក្រុមចរចានៃគណបក្សទាំងពីរ មិនអាចយល់ព្រមគ្នាបានឡើយ នៅពេលភាគីម្ខាងចង់សើរើស្ថាប័ននេះ ហើយម្ខាងទៀតចង់រក្សានៅដដែល។

ក្រុមអ្នកសង្កេតការណ៍ ដូចជាលោកបណ្ឌិតពុទ្ធា ហង្ស នាយកអង្គការនិចហ៊្វិចដែលឃ្លាំមើលការបោះឆ្នោត បានអះអាងថា បញ្ហានេះជាចំណុចរស៊ើបសម្រាប់គណបក្សទាំងពីរដែលធ្លាប់ឈ្នះនិងចាញ់ដោយសារប្រព័ន្ធនេះ ដូច្នេះការទាមទារឲ្យកែទម្រង់នេះជារឿងដែលរស៊ើបក្នុងការឈានដល់កិច្ចព្រមព្រៀង។

«ការកែទម្រង់ហ្នឹងគណបក្សប្រជាជនកម្ពុជាចង់រក្សាស្ថាប័នគ.ជ.ប.ជាស្ថាប័នរដ្ឋបាលដដែល ហើយចំណែកគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិចង់ឲ្យគណៈកម្មការរៀបចំការបោះឆ្នោតគឺជាស្ថាប័នធម្មនុញ្ញ។ អញ្ចឹងចំណុចនេះជាចំណុចផ្ទុយគ្នា មិនអាចយល់ស្របគ្នាបានទេ»។

Learning from the US to dispel MYTHS and We Need Right to Vote in Cambodia

CEROC public logo
(Courtesy of Sovann Khemara)

Myths About Voting from Abroad

There are a number of common misconceptions about voting from abroad, which can prevent Americans abroad from exercising their right to vote. Please help us dispel these myths!

Myth #1 “I can’t vote. I don’t have a US address anymore.”

WRONG. Regardless how long you have lived outside the country, you always retain the right to vote in US Federal elections. Your legal voting address is the last place you resided prior to departing the US. (If you havenever lived in the US, many states will allow you to vote using the legal voting address of one of your American parents. Also, depending on state law, it could be that studying or summering in the U.S. is enough to establish residence. Check with local authorities.)

Myth #2 “I don’t need to register. I did it last time.”

WRONG. The law has changed. Voters living abroad need to mail in a ballot request every Federal election year. Yes, there are some places, like California, which permit “permanent absentee” registration. But, don’t forget that our votes are administered by thousands of different local authorities across the country, each with its own understanding of the law.Better safe than sorry – send a new ballot request every election year!

Myth #3 “They don’t even count overseas ballots.”

WRONG. Absolutely 100% false. By law, every properly executed absentee ballot must be counted before a final vote count can be certified. However, if the number of outstanding ballots – overseas or otherwise – is smaller than the difference between two candidates, a winner may be called before every last vote has been tallied. Nonetheless, all outstanding ballots are counted before the election result can be certified.

Myth #4 “One vote can’t make a difference.”

WRONG. Just look at recent election results. Florida 2000: George W. Bush wins the state – and the presidency – by a margin of 537 votes.Washington 2004: Democrat Christine Gregoire becomes Governor by just 133 votes. Minnesota 2008: Al Franken is finally seated in the Senate with a 312-vote victory.

Myth #5 “If I vote, the IRS will hassle me.”

WRONG. Voting in US Federal elections does not affect the determination of tax liability or tax residence. You will not hear from the IRS because you voted in a Federal election, i.e. President, Senate, or House of Representatives. (Note: Voting in state and local elections can potentially affect state and local tax status. You should seek expert advice before voting in state or local elections.)

Myth #6 “Voting from abroad is so complicated.”

WRONG. This used to be true! Now, US citizens can complete the process of registering and requesting an absentee ballot – and spread the word to friends and colleagues! – in just two minutes flat at www.VoteFromAbroad.org.

Quebec election: Snowbird voters encounter temporary glitches

Quebec election: Snowbird voters encounter temporary glitches

Op-Ed: The Gazette Quebec

Quebecers wintering abroad can mail, fax or email an application to Elections Quebec by March 19 *

BY MONIQUE MUISE, THE GAZETTE MARCH 18, 2014

Ballots sent from outside Quebec must be received by Elections Quebec by 8 p.m. April 7.

Photograph by: Ryan Remiorz , The Canadian Press

Quebec election: Snowbird voters encounter temporary glitches Editor’s note: The original version of this corrected story had incorrect information in the subhead. Details below.

MONTREAL — Snowbirds hoping to cast their ballots in the coming provincial election from afar ran into some early challenges on Thursday, despite new rules designed to make the process easier.

With the campaign in full swing back home, many Quebecers who spend the harsh winter months in warmer climates logged on to Elections Québec’s website to begin registering to vote by mail. The process itself is fairly straightforward: Eligible voters fill out a form, which can be mailed, faxed or emailed along with two pieces of identification to Elections Quebec by March 19. The ability to email the information (with scanned copies of the documents) is a new feature put in place since the last provincial election in 2012.

(Note: To see a mobile-friendly version of our “Are you eligible to vote?” graphic, tap on the link below Related stories)

Elections (voting from abroad) for Canadians

Op-Ed: Elections Canada

Elections (voting from abroad)

Canadians who are temporarily living or travelling outside Canada can, under certain conditions, vote by special ballot in federal elections, by-elections and referendums.

You may vote by special mail-in ballot if you are a Canadian citizen 18 years of age or older on polling day and if you:

usually live in Canada, but are away from your electoral district during the electoral period, or
have been living outside Canada for less than five consecutive years (or longer if you meet certain employment-based criteria for exemption from the five-year limit) and meet certain other criteria.

Living abroad

If you are living abroad, you may apply to be added to Elections Canada’s International Register of Electors at any time. You must submit a completed Application for registration and special ballot for Canadian citizens residing outside Canada and provide copies of supporting documents that prove your identity. This form is available at any Canadian government office abroad, on the Elections Canada website or by calling Elections Canada at 613-993-2975. Completed applications and copies of supporting documents should be mailed or faxed to Elections Canada in Ottawa. Once your completed application has been approved, your name is added to the International Register of Electors. A special voting ballot is mailed to you when an election is called.

សង្គ្រោះជាតិរង់ចាំជួបថ្នាក់ដឹកនាំកំពូលបក្សប្រជាជន

Op-Ed: The Phnom Penh Post Khmer Language

WEDNESDAY, 26 MARCH 2014

មាស សុខជា

20140326_03

លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ធ្វើសន្និសីទកាសែតនៅព្រលានយន្តហោះអន្តរជាតិភ្នំពេញម្សិលមិញ។ រូបថត ម៉ៃ វីរៈ

ភ្នំពេញៈ ថ្នាក់ដឹកនាំគណបក្សប្រឆាំងកំពុងរង់ចាំចម្លើយពីថ្នាក់ដឹកនាំគណបក្សកាន់អំណាច ក្នុងការជួបចរចារវាងថ្នាក់ដឹកនាំកំពូលដើម្បីធ្វើការពិភាក្សាទៅលើការកែទម្រង់ប្រព័ន្ធបោះឆ្នោតដែលការចរចាថ្នាក់ក្រុមបច្ចេកទេសមិនអាចដោះស្រាយបាន ដោយធ្វើការព្រមានថា ប្រសិនបើកិច្ចប្រជុំថ្នាក់កំពូល មិនទទួលបានជោគជ័យទេនោះបាតុកម្មជាថ្មីនឹងត្រូវធ្វើឡើងដោយចៀសមិនរួច។

លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ប្រធាន និងលោក កឹម សុខា អនុប្រធានគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិបានថ្លែងកាលពីម្សិលមិញថា បន្ទាប់ពីកិច្ចប្រជុំក្រុមការងារបច្ចេកទេសរបស់គណបក្សទាំងពីរត្រូវបានផ្អាក គណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិកំពុងរង់ចាំការឆ្លើយតបពីថ្នាក់ដឹកនាំគណបក្សប្រជាជនចំពោះកិច្ចប្រជុំថ្នាក់កំពូល។

លោក កឹម សុខា បញ្ជាក់ថា៖ «ប្រសិនបើគណបក្សប្រជាជនយល់ថា កំណែទម្រង់គណៈកម្មាធិការជាតិរៀបចំការបោះឆ្នោត (គ.ជ.ប) ពិតជាមានសារៈសំខាន់ ចង់បាន គ.ជ.ប ឯករាជ្យពិតប្រាកដចង់ដោះស្រាយបញ្ហាសូមកុំពន្យារពេល គណបក្សប្រជាជនត្រូវឆ្លើយតបចំពោះអ្វីដែលគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិបានលើកឡើង ដើម្បីឲ្យមានកិច្ចប្រជុំថ្នាក់កំពូល។ ដូច្នេះយើងកំពុងរង់ចាំ»។

លោក កឹម សុខា បានរិះគន់ថា កិច្ចប្រជុំរវាងក្រុមបច្ចេកទេសគណបក្សប្រជាជន និងគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិគឺគ្មានប្រយោជន៍ទេ ព្រោះថា ក្រុមការងារគណបក្សប្រជាជន មិនអាចសម្រេចអ្វីដែលគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិបានលើកឡើងទេ ដូច្នេះ គណបក្សប្រជាជន តែងតែពន្យារពេលធ្វើឲ្យខាតបង់ពេលវេលា។

លោកបន្ថែមថា៖ «ជាធម្មតា ពេលយើងទាមទារតាមការចរចាមិនអាចទៅរួច យើងធ្វើបាតុកម្ម»។

‘People’s congress’ to test ban

អត្ថបទ​​​ព័ត៌មាន​​​ទាក់ទង

Myths About Voting from Abroad

Ballots sent from outside Quebec must be received by Elections Quebec by 8 p.m. April 7.

Photograph by: Ryan Remiorz , The Canadian Press

Living abroad

អត្ថបទព័ត៌មានទាក់ទង