In Berlin, 16-year-olds were also allowed to vote nine days ago – but only for the election of the district assembly. Now there are said to be cases where young people were wrongly handed out ballot papers for the Bundestag and House of Representatives elections.
According to media reports, there was another election Sunday in Berlin, which was already accompanied by several mishaps. As reported by “Tagesspiegel” and “Welt”, nine days ago underage youths had the opportunity to cast their votes for the Bundestag and MPs elections and the referendum on the expropriation of real estate companies. However, young people under the age of 18 were only entitled to vote for the election of the district assembly, to which 16-year-olds are already admitted.
Specifically, both newspapers name three alleged cases in the Neukölln and Pankow districts. Including a schoolgirl who reported to the “Welt” that she had received four ballot papers to her own surprise at the polling station. Although she “would of course have liked to have a say in the big elections,” she returned the three incorrectly handed out ballot papers, the 16-year-old is quoted as saying. A 17-year-old said in the article that he actually voted in all four elections. Only later did he find out from his older brother that this was not allowed.
Cases cannot be verified
You could not check the descriptions, said Marc Albrecht, head of the district election office Pankow, the “world”. If it is true, these are “but unfortunate individual cases”. It is also the responsibility of young people not to vote if they are given voting papers. “We can expect everyone not to participate in elections for which they are not permitted,” said Albrecht. In retrospect, it will no longer be possible to determine the extent of erroneously issued election documents or whether there were other similar incidents.
There were a few mishaps in Berlin on election Sunday. Among other things, voters had to wait for hours at some polling stations because the ballot papers had run out. In some cases, votes were therefore only cast after 6 p.m. Others received ballots from the wrong districts or constituencies.
On the evening of the election, the Berlin Justice Senator Dirk Behrendt called for a closer investigation of the incidents. He had “questions to those responsible in the districts and to the internal administration,” said Behrendt. The interior administration report is expected on Wednesday.
Sources: (Checkpoint newsletter) / (paid content)
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