Songpa Election Officials Delayed Reporting Ballot Shortages Due to On-Site Demands, Investigation Finds

Ballot shortages plagued polling stations in Seoul's Songpa district during the recent local elections, forcing election officials to scramble and ultimately leading to delays and confusion. Despite early concerns raised by on-site staff about potential shortages, the urgency of managing the voting process prevented timely reporting to the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission and the National Election Commission.

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There were procedural issues due to overall mismanagement.

The situation escalated throughout the day. By late morning, Songpa Election Commission staff noted higher-than-expected turnout and requested ballot serial numbers. By early afternoon, some polling stations began requesting additional ballots. The problem worsened by mid-afternoon, with one station in Jamsil 7-dong requesting 200 ballots. At 4:46 PM, officials had to inform observers at the Jamsil 7-dong polling station about the shortage and temporarily suspend voting.

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The process of numbering ballots and distributing them to polling stations involved poll workers, secretaries, administrative assistants, and even social service workers from 4:30 PM onwards.

As the day progressed, simultaneous requests for ballots overwhelmed the system. Officials decided to distribute ballots without serial numbers, with poll workers instructed to fill them in on-site. However, by 5:09 PM, over ten polling stations reported shortages, and even the unnumbered ballots were nearly depleted. In a desperate measure, remaining ballots were transferred between nearby polling stations. As the 6 PM closing time approached, officials inquired about using a pre-vote ballot issuance machine. Voters who arrived late were given waiting numbers, with the possibility of voting extending until 10 PM in some cases.

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Songpa Election Commission staff were all mobilized to number unnumbered ballots and deliver them directly to polling stations, making them unable to respond to on-site situations.

An investigation committee concluded that "overall mismanagement led to procedural issues." The committee highlighted failures to properly document ballot transfers and a lack of clear guidelines for handling ballot shortages. The process of numbering ballots also proved problematic, requiring unfamiliar equipment and significant time to operate. The committee noted that Songpa Election Commission staff were so occupied with numbering and delivering ballots that they could not adequately respond to on-site issues or report them effectively to higher authorities, hindering a systematic response.

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There were no guidelines or manuals related to procedures for ballot shortages.