Austrian presidential election poised to be rescheduled over vote card problems

The repeat run-off round for the Austrian presidential election scheduled for Oct. 2 is poised to be rescheduled for a second time over ongoing issues surrounding vote cards.

The Austria Press Agency reported Friday that indications from within government and parliamentary circles are strongly pointing towards a rescheduling, something that has up to now been rejected particularly by Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka.

Sobotka appears to have softened his stance Friday however, and is examining the possibility of shifting the election further back. He is reportedly planning to announce a final decision next week.

The catalyst for the ongoing issues surrounding the vote cards has this time been problems with the envelopes they are to be sealed in. There were initially a number of production errors reported, and on Wednesday evening it came to light that their seals were in some instances actually coming undone.

Should they be received by electoral authorities in this state, the vote card inside is subsequently declared invalid.

In response to the talk of rescheduling the election, Chancellor Christian Kern has declared himself open to the possibility, as have a number of politicians from other parties, albeit amidst heavy criticism at the ongoing troubles surrounding the vote procedure.

The election initially held on May 22 had already been ordered to be rescheduled, and in that instance repeated, by the Constitutional Court, for issues including that the vote cards were in some electoral districts opened too early and not in the presence of required electoral officials. 

Source : XINHUA