Mention of "Basket Voting" and "Shopping Bag Voting" in the Last Presidential Election
Na Kyungwon, a member of the People Power Party, is delivering a support speech at the concentrated campaign rally for Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, held on the 26th at Banghak Intersection in Dobong-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyunmin
Na Kyungwon, a member of the People Power Party, strongly criticized the recent incident in which voters were seen leaving the polling station with their ballots to have a meal before returning.
On May 29, Na Kyungwon posted on her Facebook page, "The National Election Commission, which shattered public trust in the last presidential election with the 'basket voting' and 'shopping bag voting' incidents, has caused another accident."
She continued, "This time, it is the 'outdoor voting' incident. It has been reported that at the Sinchon polling station in Seoul, voters who received their ballots left the polling station without any control, had a meal at a restaurant, and then returned. In the last presidential election, we saw the absurd sight of ballots being carried in baskets and shopping bags. Now, ballots are being allowed to leave the polling station freely."
She added, "The public is left outraged by the repeated mismanagement. According to the Public Official Election Act, voters must mark their ballots immediately after receiving them. It is shocking that the Election Commission claims there is no problem even after this rule was violated."
She further stated, "The Election Commission must immediately inspect all early voting stations nationwide and transparently report the facts to the public. Taking disciplinary action and establishing measures to prevent recurrence are basic requirements. The precious votes of the people are under threat."
Meanwhile, on this day, a YouTube channel's live broadcast captured citizens holding ballots and return envelopes outside the entrance of the early voting station at the former Sinchon-dong Community Center in Seodaemun-gu.
This scene reportedly continued for about an hour from around 11 a.m. According to some reports, some voters waiting for out-of-district voting left the line to have a meal with their ballots in hand because the queue was too long, and then returned.
An official from the Sinchon-dong Community Center early voting station explained in an interview with Yonhap News, "The waiting line was long from 11 a.m.," and added, "The voting guide managed the line so that voters could enter the polling station directly." A Central Election Commission official stated, "We are currently checking the facts."
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