Elections - State returning officer calls for participation in repeat election
State Chief Electoral Officer Stephan Bröchler is calling on voters to take part in the repeat Bundestag election in Berlin on February 11. "It is important that as many Berliners as possible make use of the opportunity to cast their vote," Bröchler told the German Press Agency. "This is a very important point on my agenda over the next few weeks, and I'll be making a big push for this," said the administrative scientist. "We want to achieve a voter turnout around the level we had in the repeat election last February, i.e. around 60 percent."
Bröchler warns of low voter turnout
"If we get a low voter turnout, it will damage our democracy," warned Bröchler. "Because then it becomes clear that going to the polling station or even voting by post is not considered that important." But voting is important. "Even under these difficult conditions, we have to show that we stand up for our democracy."
However, the election date makes things even more difficult. "It's the last day of the winter vacations. Many people will be on vacation and may not be back until Sunday," says the state election director. This makes the option of postal voting all the more important this time.
State returning officer sees a special responsibility for Berlin
"For us as a federal state, an acceptable voter turnout is important, but also with a view to the federal government in an election year in which we will still have three state elections," said Bröchler. "The question is, what signal will Berlin send out? This gives rise to a particular responsibility."
There were numerous glitches and problems in Berlin during the elections to the Bundestag and the House of Representatives on September 26, 2021. As a result, the Bundestag decided in November 2022, with the votes of the traffic light coalition, that new elections would have to be held in 327 of the 2256 constituencies, as well as in 104 of the 1507 postal voting districts. The CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag had filed a lawsuit against this because it did not consider this to be far-reaching enough.
On December 19, the Federal Constitutional Court ruled that the election must be repeated in 455 electoral districts, including the corresponding postal voting districts - with the casting of the first and second vote. (Ref. 2 BvC 4/23)
Read also:
- A clan member is punished here
- Traffic lawyer warns: Don't talk to the police!
- Will he be convicted as Jutta's murderer after 37 years?
- He also wanted to kill his cousin
- Stephan Bröchler, the State Chief Electoral Officer, is urging Berliners to participate in the repeat Bundestag election on February 11, as called for by the German Press Agency.
- Bröchler emphasized that a low voter turnout would negatively impact Germany's democracy, as it would suggest that voting is not considered important.
- The election date falls on the last day of the winter vacations, which may make it challenging for many residents to return and cast their votes in person or by post.
- Bröchler sees Berlin's repeat election as carrying a special responsibility, not only for the state but also for the federal government during an election year when three additional state elections are scheduled.
- The initial elections to the Bundestag and the House of Representatives held on September 26, 2021, in Berlin were marked by numerous glitches and problems, leading to the decision for a repeat election in some constituencies and postal voting districts.
Source: www.stern.de
