A polling station in Norrköping has been closed following a report of political influence during early voting. This case is the latest in a series of high-profile incidents surrounding this year’s election—following reports of missing ballots in Malmö, Järfälla, and Botkyrka, among other places.
The incident is said to have occurred on the very first day of early voting at the Mirum Galleria in Hageby. According to the report, a voter was standing near the ballots when the poll worker allegedly attempted to influence her choice, reports Norrköping Newspapers.
– Vote red or green, not blue.
Was suspended following a complaint
The Christian Democrats reported the incident to the Election Board after Deputy Mayor Eva-Britt Sjöberg was contacted by the voter. The polling station was then temporarily closed while the municipality investigates what happened.
– We don't know exactly what happened, and nothing has been determined yet, but I take this very seriously, says the chair of the election board Roger Sandström (C).
Several Alarms During Early Voting
This incident follows several other high-profile incidents. Malmölistan has reported that their ballots were missing from several voting booths shortly after delivery, while ballots from the Örebro Party were also reported missing. The Civic Coalition has subsequently reported similar problems at several early voting locations in Järfälla.
The Christian Family Party has also made a move alarm in Botkyrka. In Fittja, the party chair stated Aday Bethkinne that voting had been underway for about 40 minutes without the party's ballots being available. The incident was reported to the Election Board, the Election Authority, and the County Administrative Board.
Neutrality Is Put to the Test
It has not been established that the various incidents are connected, and several of the allegations of sabotage remain just that—allegations. What they do have in common, however, is that the incidents concern voters’ ability to cast their ballots without undue influence and the political parties’ ability to compete on equal terms.
– It is incredibly important to be able to trust vote counters; there must not be even a hint of suspicion that they are trying to influence the outcome. This is fundamental to democracy., says Sjöberg.
