[EM] Some are missing the point of the ballot `cockup'

[Markus Schulze]

KM wrote (10 Oct 1999):
> Perhaps someone from Germany could explain who it could
> be possible for such a mistake as Markus Schulze reports
> could be even possible. In Australia there are most
> stringent checkings of all papers before they are given
> by the polling officers to the voters - at the time the
> rolls are marked off. Such a thing could not happen in
> Australia.

I believe that it happens very frequently that a poll
station uses wrong ballots (i.e.: ballots that have been
printed for a different constituency).

Last Sunday, the Berlin Abgeordnetenhaus (= the unicameral
parliament of the city and state of Berlin) has been elected
for a term of five years. In at least four of the 2799 poll
stations wrong ballots were used: In the first poll station,
46 ballots were used before the accident was discovered; in
the second poll station, 30 ballots were used before the
accident was discovered; unfortunately it is not reported
how many wrong ballots were used in the other two poll
stations.

Due to the Electoral Commission, the printers are
responsible for these mistakes. Thus I conclude that there
are no additional checks (i.e.: After the ballots have been
printed they are sent to the poll stations directly and the
boxes with the printed ballots are not opened before election
day). Maybe the mistrust that somebody could fake the
elections is larger than the fear that the printers could have
made some mistakes.

Markus Schulze