Arnold Cassola wins ballot sheet logo battle

Independent candidates can have a logo next to their name on the ballot sheet

Arnold Cassola filing his MEP election nomination
Arnold Cassola filing his MEP election nomination

The Electoral Commission has accepted the argument made by Arnold Cassola for independent candidates to have their logo on the ballot sheet.

The former AD chairperson who is running as an independent was initially denied the possibility to have his election logo on the ballot sheet.

Cassola protested the Electoral Commission’s decision, insisting nowhere in the law did it say that only candidates of political parties should have a logo next to their name on the ballot sheet.

It appears now that the Electoral Commission has reversed its position and independent candidates will be allowed to have their logo next to their name.

Cassola communicated the decision on his Facebook page. He applauded the commission for its decision.

“Kudos to the Electoral Commission. Despite being all nominated by the PL and the PN, the members of the Commission showed that when confronted with my strong arguments they accepted their validity and decided to eliminate the disadvantage the independent candidates were being faced with in relation to political party candidates. Hats off to the members of the Electoral commission,” Cassola said.

Cassola is running as an independent candidate after falling out with AD over its call for a debate on abortion.

Cassola disagreed with the party’s stand, insisting he was against abortion except in circumstances when the mother’s life was in danger. AD has not called for the legalisation of abortion.

Cassola's independent candidature was seconded by academic Oliver Friggieri, former human rights judge Giovanni Bonello, psychologist Maryanne Lauri and artist Debbie Caruana Dingli.