Mayors and MPs are concerned about the course of the parliamentary elections in March. Due to corona, people over 70 are allowed to vote by post. The elections are also spread over three days. But there are drawbacks to this.
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An urgent letter from the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG) and the Association of Mayors states that the ‘feasibility’ of the elections is ‘under pressure’. They warn that ‘the accuracy of the voting process and the reliability of the results’ will be jeopardized if even more corona measures are taken.
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The biggest worry is postal voting. About 2.4 million Dutch people aged 70 and older are allowed to vote by post. Before the elections, they receive a voting pass and a voting form sent home a few days later. According to the Electoral Council, these voters can easily be influenced: someone else can decide for them at home which square will be colored.
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Congestion
There are also concerns about the early opening of some polling stations. The parliamentary elections are on Wednesday March 17. A small number of polling stations open on the Monday and Tuesday before. The cabinet wants to use this to ensure that people with vulnerable health do not have to queue.
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“But the risk is that many more people want to vote on those days,” said Electoral Council chairman Jan-Kees Wiebenga during a briefing in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. “Since there will be far fewer polling stations then, you might get congestion.” Yet opening extra polling stations on Monday and Tuesday is not an option, according to the VNG. Municipalities are already struggling to find enough volunteers.
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Early exit polls
Meanwhile, MPs are concerned about polls and exit polls on Monday and Tuesday. If interim results are announced on those days, this can influence voters. “Citizens will vote strategically,” said Think Member of Parliament Selçuk Öztürk during the briefing. “The largest parties in the polls benefit from this, which are now the VVD and the PVV. Other parties will have to vote. ”
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Minister Kajsa Ollongren (Internal Affairs) does not want to ban exit polls. She will, however, enter into talks with polling stations and media, to urge them not to come up with exit polls until Wednesday evening 17 March, and not in the days before.
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Confirmation
The ministry is also examining whether postal voters can receive confirmation of whether their vote has been received. “I’m really worried,” says Öztürk (Think). “Thousands of votes can be lost. The contents of letterboxes can be stolen and everything can go wrong during transport. That can cause a lot of political problems. ”
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