Image: (APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)
This also makes it clear that participation will increase again this year. In the last election in 2021, it was only at the end of the election that it reached the 16 percent already achieved today. According to the election commission, the election deadline is tomorrow, Thursday, at 5:00 p.m. at the latest.
A start with mishaps
On the first day of the election on Tuesday, voting was temporarily not possible at many locations due to a server problem. Depending on the facility, the extent varied and ranged from a few minutes to around two hours. Voting is done with ordinary ballot papers. However, the electronic voting system must be used to determine who is allowed to vote for which representative and where. If you are enrolled at two universities, for example, you can vote on the university representation and the student representation at both and is entitled to cast your ballot paper at both through the federal representation. However, if he has already done so at one, he may no longer receive a ballot at the other.
Server problems also on Wednesday
There were also short-term problems for half an hour on Wednesday because access to the previous voter lists was not possible, according to the ÖH. However, this did not lead to any delay in the election itself. Due to the server issue on Tuesday, some sub-commissions will stay open a little longer on Thursday. The last polling stations close at 5 p.m.
Any absentee ballots had to reach the election commission by 6:00 p.m. today, Wednesday evening. A total of around 3,000 pieces were returned, which is significantly less than in 2021 (14,000) and 2019 (almost 7,000).
Nine lists are running
Nine lists are candidates nationwide. In the federal representation, which has 55 mandates, the Association of Socialist Students (VSStÖ) has 14 mandates, the Greens and Alternative Students (GRAS) and the ÖVP-affiliated Action Community (AG) each have twelve. The young liberal students (JUNOS) hold six mandates, and the student council lists (FLÖ) have the same number. Two competing communist student associations (KSV LiLi and KSV Communist Youth/KJÖ) each have two mandates, with the Ring of Freedom Students (RFS) having the last seat. In addition to these eight factions, the new list “Who the F * uck is Herbert” is also on the ballot paper nationwide. The ÖH leadership form a coalition of VSStÖ, GRAS and FLÖ.
Source: Nachrichten
