Election Monitor Points to Minor Inconsistencies at Polls
Although March 6 general elections were judged to be free and fair by international observers, the Estonian chapter of one watchdog organization took a less rosy view, noting some procedural inconsistencies at polling stations.
The summary, put together by Transparency International Estonia - part of the global civil society organization leading the fight against corruption - also noted that some aspects at the 135 polling stations nationwide may have been confusing for voters.
Kalle Uusmaa of Transparency International Estonia said differences in procedures for counting votes cropped up at certain polling stations. He said the observers "questioned whether differences in the procedures of counting the votes were due to the varying competence of the committees or the desire to perform some of the operations according to their independent desires."
In total, 4,783 ballots were found to be invalid and therefore were disqualified. While some voters invalidated their ballots intentionally in apparent protest against the general political atmosphere or the lack of suitable candidates, others were filled out incorrectly due to voter error, according to Asso Prii, executive director of the organization.
For example, at some polling stations, lists of candidates across the nation were placed directly by the entrances to voting booths, leaving the impression that it was possible to vote for every candidate, when in fact citizens could only choose the candidates of their district, said Prii.
He added that to avoid any confusion and misinterpretation at the next elections, the organization hopes more attention will be paid to the preparation of the electoral committees and overall voter awareness.
Despite the relatively smooth election procedures and the proper organization, Transparency says it still sees a subsequent need for election monitoring. "Observation is not merely dominated by skeptical citizens, but rather indicates the general development of civil control," said Prii.
Ingrid Teesalu