It was the newspaper Varden that mentioned the case first. – The Norwegian Electoral Directorate has probably forgotten the advance votes in the count, says Anne Spånem, communications manager in Skien municipality to the newspaper. On Tuesday night, the Conservative Party was declared the largest party in Skien, just one vote ahead of the Labor Party. Then there were some postal votes which made Ap the largest. Now that the advance votes have been taken into account, the Conservative Party is the largest party. Slowness in the system at the Norwegian Electoral Directorate is the cause of the error, according to communications manager in Skien municipality, Anne Spånem. – It is unfortunate that standing as a municipality that has not got it done, and then we actually have it, says Spånem to news. The result, which is now out from Skien, assumes that 15,975 votes have been cast. At the last local election, 25,185 votes were registered in Skien. On Wednesday morning, it looks as if the advance votes have appeared at the Norwegian Electoral Directorate. Just over 9,000 advance votes were then added. Outgoing mayor of the Labor Party, Hedda Foss Five is horrified by what has happened. Photo: MARTIN TORSVEIT / news – Absolutely unbelievable Outgoing mayor of Skien, Hedda Foss Five says she is horrified by what has happened. – I think it is absolutely incredible. It is certainly a blow to be the electoral directorate during an election, but Skien municipality had sent in the votes on time. In the course of more than a day, they have not been able to enter those votes. It is a weakness, and I hope the Norwegian Electoral Directorate makes a proper assessment of it. The Conservative mayoral candidate in Skien, Marius Roheim Aarvold, asks the Norwegian Electoral Directorate to look into its routines. Photo: Lars Tore Endresen / news Roller coaster The Conservative mayoral candidate in Skien, Marius Roheim Aarvold, says this has been a bit of a roller coaster. – It’s strange when you think you’ve crossed the finish line and suddenly new information arrives. I thought I had landed, but now I’m up and flying again. This has been a roller coaster ride, so I can only hope it calms down now. He believes the Norwegian Electoral Directorate should now review its routines. – This can happen. The most important thing is that the municipality has done it correctly and in accordance with the legislation. Nevertheless, they should look at their routines so that nothing like this happens again, says Aarvold. Vetle Johansen in the Directorate of Elections writes in an email to news that the cause of the error was a slowness in the systems. “The reason for this is the slowness we have experienced in transferring results to valgerresultat.no. This challenge has now been resolved. This means that the display of election results from the municipalities on valgresultat.no is now in accordance with the municipalities’ reported figures. Hi Thank you for reading. Do you have tips or input for this matter or other things we should write about? Feel free to send me an email!
ttn-69
Voting in Skien can change the election result – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
