(COLOMBO) – With as many as 39 candidates in Sri Lanka’s presidential race, the ballot paper is expected to be the longest ever with 27 inches in length and five inches in width, if it is designed in a single column format, officials said.
An official with the Department of Government Printer said only the Election Commission should decide whether it is single column or double column .
According to the same official, the ballot paper will be 13.5 inches in length and width in case of a double column ballot paper .
“This is the longest ballot paper ever to be issued to voters at a presidential poll. There have been ballot papers longer than the expected one in the past, as far general elections were concerned,” he said.
The Government is expected to incur a higher cost for printing materials with security features for long ballot papers .
At the last presidential election, the ballot paper was around 25 inches in length, he elaborated.