UBP rejects recount requests and upholds electronic vote results

The internal election, held on October 24, allowed party members to choose parliamentary candidates and determine their order on the UBP’s election lists. It was a party selection process rather than a public election.

The dispute concerned whether paper copies produced after members cast their electronic votes should be counted to check the results.

In its decision, the committee said these printouts were provided so voters could confirm that their choices had been recorded correctly. Placing them in a ballot box was optional.

The documents were marked “Voter’s copy”, “The candidates above are the voter’s choices” and “This copy is given to the voter”, the committee said.

It therefore rejected requests to count the printouts and upheld the electronic voting records as the basis of the results.

Explaining the process, the committee said 8,929 members voted after presenting identification to Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) personnel.

Members received documents printed and stamped by the YSK containing the codes needed to access the electronic voting system. They then cast their votes privately in polling booths, under the supervision of approximately 50 YSK officials.

After voters confirmed their selections electronically, the system generated the paper copy showing their choices.

The committee said electronic voting had been authorised under the party’s parliamentary candidacy regulations, which were unanimously approved by both its parliamentary group and Party Assembly.

In reaching its decision, it examined the party constitution, candidacy regulations, official announcements issued before the election, polling records and electronic voting data.

The ruling leaves the electronically recorded candidate selections and rankings in place.