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[Convenient, but Prone to Error: Invisible Uncounted Mail Ballots]
1University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA.
Politische Vierteljahresschrift
|November 10, 2021
Summary
Mail-in voting is convenient but error-prone. Rejected mail ballots in German elections, estimated at 3.2–4.0%, are often uncounted, a risk voters should be aware of.
Area of Science:
- Political Science
- Electoral Studies
- Public Administration
Context:
- Growing popularity of mail-in voting globally.
- Voters' unawareness of mail ballot error rates.
- Current German electoral laws do not count rejected mail ballots.
Purpose:
- To highlight the underestimation of uncounted mail ballots.
- To inform the public about mail ballot risks.
- To advocate for policy changes in reporting rejected ballots.
Summary:
- Mail ballots are prone to rejection for various reasons.
- An estimated 3.2% to 4.0% of mail ballots in German elections remain uncounted.
- This rate is significantly higher than invalid in-person votes.
Impact:
- Increased voter awareness of mail ballot risks.
- Potential for revised electoral laws to improve transparency.
- More accurate reporting of election data.
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