Officials from the Daegu Election Commission conduct checks on equipment such as ballot printers during a mock test for the 6.3 local elections held at the Wolseong 1-dong Administrative Welfare Center in Dalseo-gu, Daegu, on the afternoon of the 19th. [Photo=Yonhap News]

With the early voting for the 6.3 local elections proceeding nationwide on the 30th, following the 29th, the National Election Commission's election management issues have once again come under scrutiny.

Whistleblower A stated, "If the Election Commission claims the election was flawed themselves, it's only right that they exert utmost effort in election management to clear up misunderstandings," adding, "There are still many incomprehensible events occurring, leaving no choice but to suspect election fraud."

The biggest issue he pointed out was "the failure to send notification texts to observers for the mock test operation on the 28th." According to the rules, the Election Commission should inform poll observers of the location and time of the mock test, which is conducted to verify the proper installation and normal operation of early voting equipment.

However, the whistleblower (a poll observer) did not receive any contact. After waiting for a call that never came, he personally called the Election Commission to confirm the location and time and then went there. Surprisingly, the whistleblower was the only one who observed the mock operation of the early voting.

The Election Commission, in a press release distributed to the media on the 28th, stated, "After the mock test concludes, we plan to meticulously manage preparations for early voting, including sealing the printed ballots from the ballot printer and the voter registration terminal with special seals."

This implies that someone (an early voting observer) should be present to ensure that the seals are properly affixed to the terminal being tested and that they are correctly applied after the test. If an observer is not present, there is no way for the Election Commission to confirm whether seals were applied or if post-it notes were used instead.

He questioned, "Are they treating the public as fools? I don't understand how they can freely attach and detach seals without an observer. If I hadn't gone, wouldn't they have proceeded with the mock test without anyone present?"

Whistleblower A further stated, "What's more, when I arrived at the early voting mock test site on the 28th, the laptops and printers, which are the early voting operation equipment, did not have any seals attached."

When he asked the early voting manager, "Where are the removed seals?" he received the unexpected answer, "The Election Commission took them."

On the afternoon of May 3, 2017, the day before the start of early voting for the 19th presidential election, officials from the Incheon Metropolitan Election Commission seal equipment including ballot printers and computers after completing a final mock test for early voting at an early voting station set up next to counter F on the 3rd floor of the departure hall at Incheon International Airport. [Photo=Yonhap News]

The poll manager responded, "Around April 28th, there was a first mock test at the 4th-floor Administrative Welfare Center in Beomeo 2-dong (early voting polling station) to check the operational status of one ballot printer (laptop and printer) each."

According to this, the Election Commission removed and took the seals at that time. Additionally, they mentioned a second mock test occurred on May 19th (as stated by early voting manager P and acting poll manager K). This means a total of three tests were conducted, including the one on May 28th.

He expressed his bewilderment, saying, "I don't understand why they are conducting so many mock tests," and added, "Moreover, the first two were not properly reported to the media, and only the May 28th test was publicly reported. It's truly strange."

In its press release on the 28th, the Election Commission stated, "Mock tests were conducted at 3,571 early voting polling stations nationwide on the 28th." However, it turns out that numerous tests were conducted. Furthermore, these tests were carried out without observers, with seals being freely attached and removed.

A mock test is a time to check the ballot printers and the computer network, and it is an opportunity for irregularities to occur. Seals are affixed and the observer system exists precisely to ensure clarity.

The Election Commission must provide answers to the following:

First, why was the fact that the May 28th test was the third test omitted from the press release?

Second, why were poll observers not sent notification texts for the mock test?

Third, is it illegal to conduct the attachment and removal of seals during mock tests without observers?

Reporter Lim Yo-hee