Early voting for COVID patients tainted by allegations of mishandled ballots

An election site worker, right, in protective gear waits to collect a ballot from a voter at a polling station in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Saturday, during the period allocated for early voting allowing COVID-19 patients to participate in the March 9 presidential election. Yonhap

By Nam Hyun-woo

Early voting for COVID-19 patients in the presidential election has ended with claims of election fraud, as voters alleged the National Election Commission (NEC) mishandled ballots at polling sites across the country.

Rival parties slammed the NEC's "unpreparedness," warning that polling station workers' unprofessional handling of the early voting could trigger another vote-rigging controversy, following a previous conspiracy theory surrounding the 2020 National Assembly elections.

On Sunday, the NEC released a statement on the previous day's early voting for COVID-19 patients across the country in which it apologized for "any inconvenience caused to voters."

"The voting method for COVID-19 patients was fully in compliance with laws and rules, with the presence of election observers recommended by political parties," the NEC said in the statement.

"However, we should admit that there were shortcomings in carrying out COVID-19 patients' early voting due to the unprecedentedly high turnout and limits in personnel and facilities."

In this screenshot of a post uploaded on web forum FMKorea, a paper bag is seen at an unidentified polling station. The uploader of this photo claimed ballots cast by COVID-19 patients during the early voting session on Saturday were collected in this, rather than in an official ballot box. Screenshot from FMKorea

The apology came after media reports and social media postings about the NEC's mishandling of COVID-19 patients' votes across the country on Saturday.

Korea's COVID-19 patients participated in early voting starting at 5 p.m. The NEC guideline states that patient should fill in their ballots in separate polling booths and put their completed ballots in an envelope. Workers at the polling station collect these envelopes and put them into a ballot box in front of observers. Each polling station is obliged to have one such box as stipulated by the Public Official Election Act in order to prevent voter fraud.

Various types of complaints erupted on Saturday. Some voters complained that workers were collecting ballots in paper bags, parcel boxes or even empty trash bags, while they could not confirm whether their ballots were put in ballot boxes properly.

"It was a mess. I was infuriated because this is not the first election the nation has held since the pandemic started," a voter surnamed Kim, 35, who cast his ballot at Yeoksam 1-dong Community Center in Seoul's Gangnam District, said during a COVID-19 patients' voting session.

"Patients were separated in a closed room and it took more than two and a half hours to finish voting. Some voters complained furiously as workers collected votes in plastic bags, not a ballot box."

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According to Rep. Kim Eun-hye of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), three people were given ballots that had already been filled in with votes for ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung ― at Sinsa 1-dong Community Center in Seoul's Eunpyeong District.

In Deokjin District of Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, a worker asked voters to write their names on the back of ballots, and those ballots were invalidated after voters complained.

This screenshot from online community Theqoo.net shows a garbage bag containing ballots cast by COVID-19 patients during their early voting session on Saturday. The uploader claimed voters complained about their ballots being collected in a garbage bag, and that workers at voting stations said those who think this is unfair should give up their vote. Screenshot from Theqoo.net

As numerous cases of the NEC's mismanagement of early voting for COVID-19 patients have been reported, both parties and their candidates slammed the NEC for its clumsy preparations.

"Many COVID-19 patients suffered inconvenience during the early voting," DPK candidate Lee wrote on Facebook. "Suffrage is the top priority (of the election). The NEC and authorities should come up with thorough measures to prevent COVID-19 patients suffering from inconveniences and difficulties during the March 9 election."

DPK Chairman Song Young-gil said in a press conference on Sunday that "there are many shortcomings in preparation and guidelines during the early voting for COVID-19 patients." He demanded the NEC apologize to the public and reprimand those who are responsible.

The main opposition PPP blamed the Moon Jae-in administration over the turmoil, but refrained from making direct allegations of election fraud in Saturday's voting.

"You have to believe me," PPP presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol said during a campaign speech in downtown Seoul, Sunday. "This is a tactic to disrupt conservative voters, who have been raising allegations over election fraud. The PPP will thoroughly monitor the election process and investigate this when we take office, so don't worry about it and vote on March 9."

Yoon was referring to some conservative voters' distrust of the general election held on April 15, 2020. After the DPK won the general election in a landslide victory, some unsuccessful candidates and far-right news media and YouTubers claimed that the election had been rigged.

Although the allegations have been proven groundless, some conservative supporters continued holding rallies questioning the electoral process. The PPP sees that their distrust of the early voting process could reduce voter turnout among its supporters.

"President Moon and NEC Chairperson Noh Jeong-hee should clarify their stance (on the COVID-19 patients' early voting)," PPP Rep. Cho Su-jin said. "After monitoring how the situation unfolds, we should begin discussions on launching an official investigation."

President Moon expressed his regrets.

"I feel regret about the controversy over early voting, and the NEC should give a full account of what went wrong with the early voting in great details, to clear up any misunderstandings," Moon was quoted as saying by presidential spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee.

"The NEC should come up with thorough measures to prevent such controversies over the election from recurring on Election Day and make its full efforts to protect the voting rights of COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine."

PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok said "the NEC's planning was negligent, its preparation was clumsy and its explanation was high-handed" and that "there should be an immediate statement on the position of personnel responsible for this situation."

The two-day early voting period for the March 9 presidential election ended Saturday with 16.32 million out of 44.2 million eligible voters participating. The turnout was a record high of 36.93 percent, 10.87 percentage points higher than that of the 2017 presidential election, showing voters' interest in what is expected to be one of the closest presidential races in Korea's history.