Electoral Administration in Poland from 1918 to 1991

This article present the origins of contemporary election administration bodies and their evolution during the twentieth century in Poland. The paper elaborate institutions organizing elections in the Second Republic, the Polish People’s Republic, and in the early period of the Third Republic of Poland. The key authorities at that time were the National Electoral Commission and the General Electoral Commissioner at the central level and provincial and district electoral commissions. The author have discuss the operation of the electoral authorities based on existing in those days electoral law. The article describes the tradition of election administration in Poland and simultaneously exposes the policies of individual governments to bodies, which was set up to guard the freedom and integrity of electoral procedures. Without a shadow of a doubt, the experience accumulated in the years 1918–1991 led to the creation of one of the best functioning institutions, which is nowadays the basis of democracy in the Third Republic of Poland.

Change in the Status and Powers of the Pool Watchers after the Enactment of the January 26, 2023 Amendments to the Election Code

The amendment to the Election Code made on 2023 significantly changed the status and powers of the pool watchers. If they observe the voting for at least 5 hours and observe the entire process of determining the results of voting until the signing of the voting protocol, they will receive 40% of the flat-rate allowance of members of ward electoral commissions. The chairmen of ward electoral commissions are obliged to keep records of the working time of the pool watchers. The most controversial issue is granting them the possibility of registering all activities of ward electoral commissions on election day using their own devices recording all activities of the ward electoral commission also during voting. This solution violates the principle of secrecy of voting, the right to privacy, and may be treated as an unacceptable form of pressure on the voter regarding the content of his vote.