The number of postal voters in the state elections in Brandenburg this year is expected to be significantly higher than in the election five years ago. “We currently have 356,000 applications,” said state election director Josef Nussbaum. That is almost 17 percent of those eligible to vote. Before the state elections in 2019, there were around 205,000 applications for postal voting at the same time. That corresponded to almost 10 percent of those eligible to vote. “I think the trend will then be recognizable.”
State election officer wants to avoid glitch like in Saxony
Around 2.1 million Brandenburg residents are called to vote on September 22. The state election officer expects that the preliminary result will not be available before 11 p.m. on election day, in order to avoid mishaps – such as in Saxony. “Accuracy comes before speed,” said Nussbaum.
There was a software error in the state election in Saxony. The calculation of the seats in the new state parliament was wrong. Brandenburg has a different election program and the results are being recalculated manually, said the state election officer. In Dresden, ballot papers were also manipulated. The election officials have been made aware of the problem, said Nussbaum.
Almost 500 candidates
In Brandenburg, almost 500 candidates are running for 14 parties or associations in the state elections. There are 44 different ballot papers in the constituencies. There are around 100,000 first-time voters in this election. Brandenburg residents have two votes in the election: with the first vote they choose the direct candidate in the respective constituency, with the second vote they choose the state list.
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