Ballot shortage protests expose deep election distrust, draw far-right election fraud campaigners

People gather outside the No. 2 polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Wednesday, holding signs reading "Suspend vote counting" and "Invalidate the election" after voting hours were extended to 10 p.m. due to a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections. (Yonhap)
People gather outside the No. 2 polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Wednesday, holding signs reading "Suspend vote counting" and "Invalidate the election" after voting hours were extended to 10 p.m. due to a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections. (Yonhap)

Overnight protests following voting disruptions caused by a ballot paper shortage in Seoul's Songpa-gu continued into Thursday afternoon, with demonstrators physically blocking the transfer of ballot boxes to a counting center.

Well past 2 p.m. on Thursday, a day after Election Day, protesters remained gathered outside Jamsil 7-dong's No. 2 polling station, set up at the Woosung Apartment senior citizens' center, continuing to barricade the building.

Protesters continue their rally outside the No. 2 polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Thursday morning, demanding a rerun of the election following a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections. (Threads)
Protesters continue their rally outside the No. 2 polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Thursday morning, demanding a rerun of the election following a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections. (Threads)
Volunteers distribute supplies to protesters gathered outside Jamsil 7-dong's No. 2 polling station in Seoul on Thursday, where demonstrations continued for a second day. (X)
Volunteers distribute supplies to protesters gathered outside Jamsil 7-dong's No. 2 polling station in Seoul on Thursday, where demonstrations continued for a second day. (X)

The National Election Commission said the two ballot boxes remain stranded, containing votes cast by roughly 2,000 people.

Until those ballots are counted, the election body cannot formally declare winners, including in the Seoul mayoral race, although incumbent Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s lead over his liberal rival exceeds the number of votes remaining to be counted.

The standoff between election officials and angry voters at the Jamsil polling station began in the final hours of voting on Wednesday. The site was among several polling stations in Seoul where voting was delayed due to a shortage of ballots.

Police unofficially put the number of protesters at around 300.

At the height of the overnight standoff around 3 a.m., about 470 officers, including local police personnel and mobile units, were deployed to the scene, officials said.

Ballot boxes remain at the No. 2 polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Thursday morning, as their transfer is delayed amid escalating protests over a ballot shortage during Wednesday's local elections. (Yonhap)
Ballot boxes remain at the No. 2 polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Thursday morning, as their transfer is delayed amid escalating protests over a ballot shortage during Wednesday's local elections. (Yonhap)

While protesters, including conservative YouTuber and their supporters, continued to block the transfer of ballot boxes and demand a redo of the election, the NEC said it would refrain from forcibly moving the boxes for the time being due to concerns over physical clashes.

The commission, however, maintained that the situation did not justify suspending vote counting or holding a rerun of the election.

Kim Min-soo, a Supreme Council member of the People Power Party, joins protesters at a rally outside the National Election Commission in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Thursday over a ballot shortage that disrupted voting in Wednesday's local elections. (Yonhap)
Kim Min-soo, a Supreme Council member of the People Power Party, joins protesters at a rally outside the National Election Commission in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Thursday over a ballot shortage that disrupted voting in Wednesday's local elections. (Yonhap)
Protesters claiming election fraud sit outside the Jung-gu Election Commission office in Daegu on Thursday. (Yonhap)
Protesters claiming election fraud sit outside the Jung-gu Election Commission office in Daegu on Thursday. (Yonhap)
Protesters camp outside the Jung-gu Election Commission office in Daegu on Thursday. (Yonhap)
Protesters camp outside the Jung-gu Election Commission office in Daegu on Thursday. (Yonhap)

Some residents of the apartment complex complained about noise and disruption, claiming many of the protesters were not voters from the constituency, while police officers were deployed to ensure the safety of students.

Disputes over ballot shortages were not confined to the Jamsil polling station.

Some conservative politicians and their supporters staged a rally outside the National Election Commission headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Thursday, condemning the election body and calling for a rerun of the election.

In Daegu, more than 100 protesters gathered outside the Jung-gu Election Commission office shortly after midnight, claiming election irregularities and demanding that the vote be held again.


cjh@heraldcorp.com