By: STA, G. B.
Intentions to vote by mail in the referendums from within Slovenia and from abroad were submitted by a total of 3,000 voters, explained Igor Zorčič, Director of the National Electoral Commission (DVK) Service. District electoral commissions are currently entering votes cast by mail from within Slovenia and verifying the voting results. The data on the DVK website will be updated after 6:00 p.m., he announced.
Zorčič explained in a statement to the media that Sunday’s referendums were marked by high voter turnout, which at some polling stations resulted in somewhat longer waiting times before voters could cast their ballots. This was particularly evident at the OMNIA polling station in Ljubljana, which is also the largest polling station in Slovenia. Zorčič assured that, together with the competent district electoral commission, they would seek to determine the reasons for the longer queues and how to avoid similar situations in the future.
Asked why the Ljubljana OMNIA polling station was this time located in the somewhat smaller premises of the Moste Sports Association, Zorčič replied that district electoral commissions are responsible for determining polling locations. He added that it was difficult for him to comment on their decision. He also said that they would ask the district electoral commission whether another location could perhaps be found for future OMNIA polling stations. “After all, we have 3,168 polling stations, and today we are talking about only one. But we will do our best to ensure that next time we will not be talking about this one either,” Zorčič stated.
The results from the largest polling stations were entered into the system last. Thus, the results from the OMNIA polling station, where 2,907 voters cast their ballots, were entered only after the results had stopped updating, Zorčič explained. At that point, the results from two early-voting polling stations, Ljubljana Centre and Ljubljana Moste-Polje 3, were also entered. Voters at these locations, unlike the overall electorate, were strongly inclined toward the opposing side. As a result, in the referendum on abolishing the RTV licence fee, the outcome shifted in favour of those opposing its abolition.
Representatives of the SDS questioned the reasons for this turnaround on social media. SDS leader Janez Janša suggested that one reason was the large number of allegedly unlawfully appointed district electoral commissions, similar to what he claimed occurred during the parliamentary elections.
Responding to this criticism, Zorčič stressed that the National Electoral Commission (DVK) is an implementing body responsible for organising elections and referendums. “We ensure that everything is organised in accordance with the law. As for other comments, whether from one side or the other, I do not believe it is appropriate for us to comment on them,” he said.
He further explained that district electoral commissions are appointed for a fixed term under the law, and the current commissions’ mandates expire at the beginning of next year. Whether it is problematic that deputy commission chairpersons are judges, as Janša contends, will be for the members of the electoral commission to decide. “I believe they will give the matter serious consideration and perhaps also seek a legal opinion,” said Zorčič. Voting was also extended at the polling station in Roje Primary School in the municipality of Domžale because voting had been interrupted following the death of a voter at the polling station. According to Zorčič, there were no other significant irregularities. “I must say that, from an organisational perspective, everything proceeded smoothly,” he said.
The Ljubljana Police Directorate told STA that shortly after 9 p.m. they were notified that an individual at a polling station in the Moste area was ignoring warnings and instructions from the person responsible at the polling station. Police are conducting misdemeanour proceedings against the individual on suspicion of violating the Public Order and Peace Protection Act. The individual left the premises after the procedure was completed.
Problems also occurred at a polling station in the Sežana area. According to findings gathered so far, a 52-year-old local resident refused to leave the polling station after voting despite repeated warnings. He had also brought an alcoholic beverage to the polling station and consumed it there. Police informed him of the provisions of the National Assembly Elections Act and warned him about the violation, after which he left the premises, the Koper Police Directorate reported.
According to partial unofficial results, voters rejected the amendment to the Parliamentary Investigation Act in Sunday’s legislative referendum, with 51.26% voting against it. In the consultative referendum on abolishing the RTV licence fee, 50.04% voted against abolition. Meanwhile, a majority of voters supported linking social assistance benefits to community work and revoking local voting rights for foreign nationals, with 60.54% voting in favour of the first proposal and 55.29% supporting the second.
The results are not yet final. District electoral commissions will count postal votes from within Slovenia today, while on 19 October they will also determine the results of votes cast from abroad.