Songpa Election Commission Held Back Ballots Despite Shortages

The Songpa District Election Commission in Seoul is facing severe criticism following a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections. Reports indicate that the commission had printed enough ballot papers for the district's 565,638 eligible voters, specifically preparing for 50% of the electorate. However, the commission failed to distribute all available ballots to the polling stations.

Instead, the Songpa Election Commission retained approximately 10% of the printed ballots as reserves at the commission's office. This decision proved problematic as voter turnout surged, leading to ballot shortages at several polling stations by the afternoon of June 3. Voters experienced long waits, and the reserved ballots were not promptly distributed to the stations in need.

The Central Election Commission reportedly lacked precise information on which specific polling stations experienced the ballot shortage. Similar reports of insufficient ballots emerged from Incheon and Gyeonggi Province on the same day. The Central Election Commission issued a public apology later that evening, acknowledging the issue and its impact on the election system's credibility.