Ballots from Ansan Found Mixed in at Seongnam Counting Center... Election Commission Draws Criticism for Handling Them as 'Abstentions' Without Explanation

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[Financial News] During the counting process for the 9th nationwide local elections, a ballot from another district was found mixed in, effectively turning a voter’s precious vote into a wasted ballot.
According to the Gyeonggi Provincial Election Commission, one ballot for the proportional representation race for Ansan City Council member was discovered around 8:50 p.m. on June 3 at the counting center in Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si, while counting was under way.
The ballot was found inside a return envelope for out-of-district early voting, along with valid ballots such as those for the Mayor of Seongnam race. This suggests that the NEC’s screening system failed completely, whether at the polling station when the voter placed the ballots into the envelope or later during sorting and transport.
At the scene, the mix-up of ballots from another district reportedly caused a commotion, and police were even dispatched. However, the officers who responded withdrew after determining that they could not intervene in the NEC’s own duties.
The NEC immediately classified the ballot as an abstention in accordance with the relevant procedures after it was discovered.
An NEC official stated, "We closed the case by classifying the ballot as an abstention in accordance with the relevant procedures and guidelines."
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\r\nMeanwhile, trust in election management appears likely to take another hit, as the incident was compounded by shortages of ballots in some districts.
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sms@fnnews.com Seong Min-seo Reporter