Invalid if you fold and mark elsewhere?…Election Commission Voting Q&A

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] The National Election Commission announced voting guidelines in a Q&A format on the 14th.

- Voting hours

=> From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Even if the voting deadline has passed while waiting in line due to many voters, you can receive a ‘number ticket’ and still vote.

- What should be prepared?

=> Identification documents or papers that can verify the voter’s identity, such as a resident registration card, government employee ID, passport, driver’s license, national merit certificate, disability registration card, or photo ID issued by a government office or public institution. Image files saved by photographing or screen capturing the ID cannot be used. The voter registration number is printed on the voting guide sent to each household; cutting out and bringing this number can shorten voting time.

- How can I find the location of the polling station?

=> The voting guide delivered to each household includes the building name and a map where the polling station is located. You can also check the polling station location using the ‘Find My Polling Station’ service provided on the National Election Commission and local government websites or portal sites.

- If I mark the ballot paper incorrectly, can I get a new ballot paper?

=> Ballot papers will not be reissued under any circumstances, so you must mark carefully.

- What if I have a physical disability and cannot mark the ballot alone in the voting booth?

=> Voters who are visually impaired or physically disabled and cannot mark the ballot alone may be accompanied by up to two people, either family members or persons designated by the voter, to assist.

- Can a person who has registered for absentee voting vote at the polling station on election day?

=> A voter who registered for absentee voting but does not vote absentee can return the absentee ballot and return envelope to the polling station’s election official on election day and vote. However, if the absentee ballot is already marked, the voter cannot vote again.

- Can I take photos of the ballot paper inside the voting booth?

=> Taking photos of the ballot paper inside the voting booth is prohibited to prevent illegal vote buying and selling. To take a voting certification photo, use the photo zone or polling station signboard installed at the polling station entrance.

- What should I be careful about when marking the ballot?

=> You must use the marking tools provided in the voting booth; otherwise, the ballot is invalid. Marking more than one candidate, marking in a way that makes it unclear which candidate is chosen, marking across two candidate boxes, writing names or scribbling, stamping or fingerprinting, or writing letters or symbols without marking are all invalid.

- Can exit polls be conducted in front of the polling station for voters who have finished voting?

=> No one may ask voters about the name of the candidate they voted for until the voting deadline on election day. However, TV and radio broadcasters and daily newspapers may conduct exit polls by asking voters outside 50 meters from the polling station in a way that does not violate voting secrecy, but the results cannot be disclosed until the voting deadline.

- Can organizations or individuals encourage voters to participate in voting?

=> Anyone can encourage voting participation, and pure voting participation encouragement and promotional activities are allowed even on election day. Posting or sending voting certification photos with finger signs on internet, SNS, or text messages, or posting encouragement messages with photos of specific party/candidate support, recommendation, opposition, or election posters and promotional materials is also allowed.

- What should be noted when encouraging voting participation offline?

=> Voting participation encouragement activities are prohibited when visiting households, within 100 meters of early voting stations or polling stations, or when including content supporting, recommending, or opposing specific parties or candidates, or when using banners, printed materials, loudspeakers, recorders, or cameras (only if they include party names, candidate names/photos, or content that can infer such names).

- Can restaurants or other businesses offer discounts to people who voted?

=> Individuals or organizations may give small prizes or discounts to voters as part of business activities without linking to any specific party or candidate. However, offering or promising financial benefits to influence voting for winning or losing is prohibited.

- What should be noted when posting voting certification photos on SNS?

=> Certification photos showing voting signs (thumbs up, V sign, etc.) can be posted on SNS on election day, but photographing and posting the marked ballot paper is prohibited.

- When is a ballot paper invalid?

=> Ballots not marked with the provided marking tools are invalid. Marking more than one candidate, unclear markings, markings across two candidate boxes, writing names or scribbling, stamping or fingerprinting, or writing letters or symbols without marking are all invalid.

- If the marking stamp smudges onto another candidate’s box when folding the ballot, is it invalid?

=> Even if the marking stamp smudges onto another candidate’s box or margin when folding, it is valid if the shape clearly shows which candidate was marked. Ballots are valid even if not folded before being placed in the ballot box, but deliberately revealing the marked ballot to others may invalidate it.

- Is a ballot invalid if it has a serial number attached?

=> Sometimes ballot papers are issued without removing the serial number due to election official error, but ballots with serial numbers attached are still valid.

- Is a ballot invalid if the election official’s stamp is missing?

=> If the election official’s stamp is missing on the ballot, it will be considered valid if the polling station’s voting records confirm that the ballot was properly issued at the polling station.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.