Hours of waiting, wrong ballot papers – the election chaos in the capital last September is still having an impact today. An expert report now reveals some problems.
According to an expert commission set up by the Senate, the numerous mishaps and problems in the elections in Berlin on September 26, 2021 were foreseeable and therefore avoidable. “The mishaps on election day were not a natural phenomenon that befell everyone,” said political scientist Stephan Bröchler on Wednesday when presenting the commission’s report on the election chaos in the previous year.
The report shows that there were numerous shortcomings in the preparation and implementation of the election day. Among other things, this was due to unclear responsibilities and a city-wide perspective was missing. In addition, the complexity of the election Sunday with four ballots in the capital was massively underestimated.
On September 26, voters in Berlin were not only able to elect the Bundestag, but also the House of Representatives and district assemblies, as well as vote in a referendum on the expropriation of large housing groups.
This was made more difficult by, among other things, incorrect or missing ballot papers, the temporary closure of polling stations and sometimes hours of waiting. In addition, some polling stations were open well after 6 p.m. Due to the massive problems, a partial or complete repetition of the elections for the House of Representatives and in individual Berlin constituencies for the Bundestag is also being considered. But it hasn’t been decided yet.
