voters who are non-Turkish speakers with a different mother tongue, but also for illiterate voters with hearing impairments.23 However, the SBE did not disseminate its Decision or put it on its web site and did not inform the chairpersons of the ballot box committees. Citizens were not able to enjoy this right on the election of Novembers 1st. With respect to the training given by political parties and the booklets they published, party observers on duty at the ballot boxes were given no information about the fact that non-Turkish speaking and illiterate voters have the right to receive information in their mother tongue through an interpreter. According to data from the Turkish Statistics Authority , most illiterate voters are women. Failing to provide voter education for illiterate voters mostly affects the right of women voters to vote and be elected. Membership to Ballot Box Committees and Political Party Observers The selection process of the chairperson and members of the ballot box committees is set forth in Law No 298 on the Basic Provisions of Elections and Voter Registries. The law states that Chairpersons of the ballot box committees “shall be selected from among literate voters who are known to have a good reputation”.24 The Law employs subjective criteria, namely, being known to have a good reputation. The lack of objective criteria and the fact that the lists of names of public officials to be assigned to ballot boxes is prepared by administrators of public agencies and notified to the provincial and district election boards and the selection process of the chairpersons of ballot boxes are all topics that lead to controversy regarding ballot box committees. In the process of determining members of ballot box committees during the November 1st elections, there are claims that the public authorities acted contrary to the principle of impartiality while determining the names recommended by public agencies. In order to ensure that this process is more transparent, criteria should be determined and legal arrangements should be made. 23 Although the SBE decision states that voter education does not take place, there are public spots on the SBE web sites regarding the registration of domestic and overseas voters as well as on how to cast their votes. https://media.ysk.gov.tr/MV2015-YiciSecmen.mp4 https://media.ysk.gov.tr/MV2015-YdisiSecmen.mp4 24 Selection of the Ballot Box Committee Chairperson ARTICLE 22- (as amended by Article 1 of Law 2234, on 17 May 1979.) The chairman of the District Electoral Board consults with the full members who are not political party members, and prepares a list comprising the names of well-reputed and literate persons selected amongst voters inside or ourside the election district such that one person is identified for each ballot box in the election district. Each full board member who is chosen from the political parties, also submits a list, prepared according to the qualifications explained in the above paragraph, within the time defined by the chairman of the District Electoral Board. Each ordinary board member who is elected from the political parties submit a list, prepared according to the qualifications explained in the above paragraph, within the time defined by the chairman of the District Electoral Board. A party representative who fails to submit a list within the pre-defined time frame is deemed to have waived his right. The chairperson of each Ballot Box Committee is drawn by lot amongst the candidates whose names are proposed and written on the list prepared according to the above paragraphs, for the chairmanship of the ballot box. http://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/Metin.Aspx?MevzuatKod=1.4.298&sourceXmlSearch=&MevzuatIliski=0