12 | CONCERNS EXIST OVER THE MILITARY’S CONTROL OF ADVANCE VOTING PROCESSES Similar concerns exist over advance voting, a process that has historically been less transparent and more vulnerable to fraud, especially among military personnel. The UEC has started accepting applications for overseas voting, but Myanmar migrant workers abroad are worried that the junta could pressure them into voting through the restriction of embassy services, such as passport renewals, or the intimidation of family members back home, and that these ballots may be used by the junta to produce favorable election results. Military personnel could also be pressured into voting under undue influence. Initially scheduled from 21 August to 8 September, the window for Myanmar citizens abroad to register for advance voting was extended by the UEC until 12 October, presumably because of a low registration rate. The new election laws introduced changes to the advance voting system, including the requirement that ballots cast outside of Myanmar, and inside of Myanmar but outside of their constituency (which includes most Tatmadaw personnel), will be counted and announced before election day. This goes against international best practices and could be used to influence election results. In-constituency advance votes will still be counted on election day. Finally, there are concerns that the UEC may use internally displaced people (IDPs) to hold elections remotely in places controlled by resistance forces. For instance, holding elections is impossible in most of Rakhine state, but voters from Rakhine who have fled to Yangon or other regions could be invited to participate in advance voting, thereby creating an opportunity for 53