On Sunday, 1 November 2020, when the first round of the presidential election took place, citizens, some election officials and observers reported a number of irregularities, including the organised transportation of voters from the Transnistrian region, the photographing of ballot papers, the presence of election posters in the polling station area, etc. Experts encourage citizens to report irregularities in the second round of the election, which will take place on 15 November. On 1 November, Promo-LEX observers recorded an incident in the village of Cocieri, Dubasari district, when the representative of one of the candidates was verbally assaulted by the President of Dubasari district, Grigore Filipov, elected on the PSRM list, while photographing the cars carrying voters. Asked why he verbally assaulted the observer, Grigore Filipov said that he was in a meeting and could not speak, and later did not answer calls. It should be recalled that Grigore Filipov, the chairman of the Dubasari district, is the father of Vadim Filipov, a member of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), and the father-in-law of the independent candidate supported by the Socialists, Igor Dodon. The Promo-LEX Observation Mission reported 520 incidents and irregularities on election day: electricity disconnections, organised transportation of voters, absence of seals on ballot boxes, photographing of ballot papers, etc. IGP deputy chief: "Election agitation is at home" According to data from the General Inspectorate of Police (IGP), more than 300 violations were recorded on the day of the presidential election, including cases of photographing ballot papers, bribing voters and promoting electoral contestants. "Electoral agitation is at home," IGP deputy chief Marin Maxian told a news conference. Some of the electoral contestants have filed several complaints with the electoral bodies, as well as with the police, reporting several irregularities. Elena Prohnițchi, an expert at the Association for Participatory Democracy "ADEPT", the organisation that manages the www.alegeri.md platform, warns that any citizen can file a complaint if they have detected irregularities on election day. At the same time, the legal framework gives voters the possibility to report not only irregularities observed on election day, but also during the election campaign, by reporting to the electoral authorities, the police and the prosecutor's office, depending on the type and seriousness of the alleged irregularities. Voters can send complaints to the Central Electoral Commission at info@cec.md and petitioners must substantiate their complaint with video, audio or photo evidence, witness statements or other evidence. "If we witness irregularities in the election campaign and do nothing, we lose any moral right to complain that our vote has been rigged. If we don't report irregularities, we run the risk of being like the popular saying: 'he who steals an egg today will steal an ox tomorrow'. Only in the case of elections, the proverb would sound different: "he who steals a vote today will steal the country's future tomorrow," she says. Elena Prohnițchi urges voters to be vigilant and report any irregularities in the second round of voting. "Don't let your future be stolen, report when you see electoral gifts being given, when the priest makes electoral agitation in the church or the mayor in the school, when public goods are used in favour of a candidate, when anti-COVID-19 measures are not respected in meetings with voters. This is the only way we can make our vote count," she concluded. What kind of irregularities can be reported? For different misconduct, there are reporting templates depending on the body to which the complaint is submitted. In the case of voter bribery, the complaint should be submitted to the CEC or the General Prosecutor's Office. In the case of involvement of religious cults in elections, the complaint will also be submitted to the CEC, but also to the Ministry of Justice. In the case of non-compliance with the mandatory rules for preventing and combating COVID-19 infection (social distance, wearing a mask, etc.), the complaint may be submitted to the CEC, but also to the Territorial Police Inspectorate. The local police, the CEC and the Constituency Electoral Council can also be notified in the event of electoral propaganda contrary to electoral rules. Such petitions can also be referred to the ADEPT Association. This association is not a body for documenting complaints, but experts can advise voters if necessary. Irregularities can be filmed or photographed and posted on social networks, and journalists can be informed to publicise these cases. Have your fundamental rights and freedoms been violated? Call the free "Hotline" 080080030 from landlines or mobile phones and we will help you to be heard and refer you to the relevant public institutions. Lilia Zaharia Independent Press Association