EC explains six steps for Feb 8 referendum vote on drafting a new constitution
February 8 referendum is intended to gauge public support for drafting a new constitution, rather than launching the drafting process immediately.
- The referendum on February 8 will ask voters if they approve of starting the process to draft a new constitution, and will be held on the same day as the House election.
- The six-step voting process includes presenting ID, signing for a ballot, marking one of three choices (Approve, Disapprove, or No opinion), and placing it in a dedicated referendum ballot box.
- Voters will cast their referendum ballot at the same polling station immediately after they have voted in the House election.
- There will be no advance voting for the referendum, but registration for out-of-constituency and overseas voting will be available from January 3–5.
Thailand’s Election Commission (EC) has issued a public information notice setting out the key details of the constitutional referendum that will be held on the same day as the House election on February 8, after the Royal Gazette published the official referendum question.
Voters will be asked: “Do you approve of having a new constitution?” The EC said the referendum is the first step required under a Constitutional Court ruling and is significant to the process of creating a new charter as set out under the constitution and the court’s interpretation.
The commission stressed that the vote does not mean a new constitution will be drafted immediately.
Instead, it is a public consultation to determine whether people agree to begin the process of preparing a new constitution.
How voting will work on the day
Voters will complete the MP ballot first at their polling station.
After placing the MP ballot in the ballot box, they will move to the next point at the same station to vote in the referendum, following these steps:
- Present identification and state their sequence number on the referendum voter list
- Sign or provide a fingerprint on the referendum voter register
- Receive one referendum ballot
- Mark one box only: Approve / Disapprove / No opinion
- Fold the ballot neatly before leaving the booth
- Place the referendum ballot in the referendum ballot box in person
For those unable to vote at their assigned station on February 8, the EC said registration will be open for out-of-constituency voting, overseas voting, and options for people with disabilities, mobility limitations, or older voters from January 3–5.
The EC added that the referendum will not have advance voting.
