“City is desperately looking for assessors for four election Sundays.
»This is in substance the announcement made by the city of Beauvais (Oise) to find the 204 volunteers it needs for the partial legislative elections on Sunday May 30 and June 6 and for the departmental and regional elections on June 20 and 27 .
A call for help disseminated via social networks and its website.
A difficulty that Caroline Cayeux, mayor (DVD) of Beauvais, had anticipated on April 12, when the Prime Minister had questioned the mayors of France on the merits of maintaining the regional and departmental elections in June.
The elected official declared herself in favor of a postponement, like the majority of the mayors of the Oise (51%).
Read also Ile-de-France: facing the Covid, these mayors plead to increase the "voting machines"
To support her answer, she of course highlighted the health situation in Beauvaisis, with a very high incidence rate of the virus, and spoke of her fears about the organization of the poll, with a "large majority of the staff working from home" and “a vaccination center that mobilizes a lot of people”.
Alas, we'll vote.
Thus, like the 153 municipalities of the first district of Oise, Beauvais is forced to organize four electoral ballots in five weeks.
With a first deadline in a month, we still have to find assessors just released from confinement and ready to sacrifice four Spring Sundays.
"I need at least 204 assessors for 68 offices"
"I need three assessors per office," says Samira Moula, director of the legal and administrative pole of the city and the agglomeration.
There are 34 stations in Beauvais and for the double regional-departmental ballot, I must double the number of polling stations.
In the end, I need at least 204 assessors for 68 offices.
"
Certain agents of the city can be counted on condition that they are registered on the electoral rolls of Beauvais.
“I sent a letter to the assessors present during the last elections,” indicates Samira Moula.
I asked them their availability for election Sundays and to which offices they would like to be assigned.
"
Health information is requested from potential assessors, in particular if they are vaccinated or wish to be vaccinated, in order to be able to hold a polling station in accordance with the health protocol.
LP / JB
Health context requires, health information was also requested.
"I must know if the potential assessors have been vaccinated or if they wish to be," specifies Samira Moula.
We must increase the number of assessors to be vaccinated because they could benefit from privileged access to a vaccination center.
This has since been confirmed by the government.
But once again, we still have to find the volunteers.
What if they refuse the injection or have failed to get a dose?
They must come with a PCR test of less than 48 hours.
“A priori, we should have self-tests to deal with any eventuality, announces Samira Moula.
All that remains is to cross your fingers so that no volunteer finds himself testing positive on polling day.
He would obviously be invited to return home.
"
"It's the unknown, the fear of the virus could discourage some"
To prevent the polling stations from turning into a cluster, as was the case during municipal elections, they will also be secured with gel at will, plexiglass at the level of the attendance sheet, entrance to the voting booths placed facing the wall to avoid voters to manipulate the curtain.
It remains to be seen whether these measures will be sufficient to encourage citizens to come and hold an office.
"It's the unknown," recognizes Samira Moula.
Usually there are people who are keen on democracy who volunteer.
With the health crisis, fear of the virus could discourage some.
"
The volunteers will also have to want to sacrifice one, two, three or four Sundays in late spring, potentially sunny, after having undergone several weeks of confinement with a ban on moving 10 km from his home.
"Especially since if the abstention is strong, Sunday will be very long for the assessors", underlines Samira Moula.
Between the arrival of fine weather, deconfinement and the health crisis, not sure that many voters will move.
LP / JB
However, not sure that the different votes mobilize the crowds.
In the last municipal elections, the most concerning for the inhabitants, less than one in two voters had played their electoral card.
Alain, in his seventies from Beauvais, has planned to go and vote.
“It's a duty,” he says.
I have been vaccinated, so I have no reason not to vote.
"
However, he can not help but find "absurd that we organize an election on May 30 after having postponed the departmental by a week for better health security."
Like this elected representative of one of the villages concerned by the partial legislative process.
“There will be a gradual deconfinement for everyone… except for us.
When I think I lectured people when they gathered in the street… ”