On the 5th, the second day of the early voting for the 20th presidential election, issues related to the election management procedure were poured out at various polling stations set aside for those who have confirmed COVID-19 and those who are quarantined.
While criticism is pouring in from the political circles of the ruling and opposition parties, there are already concerns that the trust in the results of the ballot count may be lowered due to poor preparation for the election.
“Isn’t it stealing the ballot papers?”
On this day, Lee Hye-seung (28), a 28-year-old couple with Corona 19 who visited the polling place at the community center in Guui 3-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, might not easily get out of the voting booth even following submitting the ballot papers.
Because the ballot paper might not be put directly into the ballot box. According to the instructions, he tried to put it in the envelope in front of the voting booth, but there were already other ballot papers inside, Lee said.
In a call with CBS Nocut News, Mr. Lee said, “I received the envelope once more and submitted it, but the clerk just stood there holding it.
It seems to have been managed in accordance with the special guidelines for confirmed and quarantined people with COVID-19, but it is likely to violate Article 158 of the Public Official Election Act, which states that ‘the elector must fold the ballot paper directly and put it in the envelope and then into the ballot box’.
Lee also said, “I wondered if there was a possibility that the clerk might receive my vote and steal it or replace it.”
He also claimed that there were no observers other than the two guides at the voting booth, and that when collecting ID cards, 10 people at a time, without face contrast, were conducted poorly.
The ballot papers marked with a specific candidate are…
Not only this.
According to Yonhap News, a large number of voters turned away with a strong objection when an advance voting booth in Busan announced that they would put their ballots in a basket and in Haeundae-gu in a paper box.
There are also reports that each polling place managed to manage their ballot papers in zip bags, shopping bags, cardboard boxes, and post office paper boxes.
There have even been absurd cases in which certain candidates have been given ballots that have been marked.
Rep. Kim Eun-hye, head of public affairs at the People’s Power Election Committee, said on Facebook that evening, “At the polling place in Sinsa 1-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, there was a ballot paper marked for ‘No. 1 candidate Lee Jae-myung’ in the envelope.” Lee Jae-myung’s ballot paper and an empty ballot paper were held in the other hand.”
Then, he wrote, “Three people have gone through something like this,” he wrote.
An official from the National Election Commission said in a phone call, “It was prepared as a measure to control the corona virus, but there seems to have been a quarrel at the site.”
“Measures must be taken to prevent recurrence”
Politicians responded immediately.
Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung said on Facebook, “Securing the right to vote is our top priority.”
Rep. Seo Young-gyo of the Democratic Party, who is chair of the National Assembly’s administrative and safety committee, also ordered, “The people’s right to vote must be guaranteed no matter what the circumstances. .
Lee Jun-seok, representative of People’s Power, said, “It is an important procedure that must be followed for a secret election to require voters to put their ballot directly into the ballot box. I hope that the Election Commissioners will be held accountable for this situation.”