State Electoral Authority Dismisses Manipulation Allegations After Bad Freienwalde Mayoral Election

The recent mayoral runoff election in Bad Freienwalde has drawn attention following the close contest between the independent candidate Frank Vettel, supported by the Alternative for Germany (AfD), and CDU representative Ulrike Heidemann. The AfD has called for the election to be repeated, citing concerns over the integrity of the vote, particularly regarding the handling of postal ballots.

According to the official results, CDU's Ulrike Heidemann secured victory with 51.6 percent of the votes, while Frank Vettel received 48.4 percent. Initial counts from polling stations indicated a lead for Vettel, who garnered 54.7 percent compared to Heidemann's 45.3 percent. However, the final outcome shifted after postal ballots were tallied, with Heidemann receiving a significant 64.4 percent of the votes cast by mail, compared to Vettel's 35.6 percent. Ultimately, Heidemann prevailed by a margin of 160 votes.

The AfD contends that the shift in results and certain procedural issues warrant a repeat of the runoff. Among their concerns is a technical error in which 401 eligible voters who had applied for postal ballots received duplicate voting documents. In response to this incident, the original ballots were invalidated and new sets were issued to the affected voters. The AfD also raised objections regarding the labeling of their candidate as affiliated with the AfD on the ballot papers.

Despite these concerns, the regional electoral authority maintains that the election was conducted properly. Josef Nußbaum, the State Electoral Supervisor, stated that there is no evidence to suggest the occurrence of manipulation or irregularities that would affect the validity of the mayoral election. The measures implemented for postal voting, including sworn declarations and verification processes, are designed to prevent abuse and maintain transparency. The counting of postal ballots is conducted in an open and supervised environment, allowing for public scrutiny.

Anja Neumann-Körber, Bad Freienwalde's local election official, also reported no known issues with the conduct or counting of votes. She affirmed that the election committee was not made aware of any irregularities during the process. The town, with a population of approximately 12,000, is situated in the Märkisch-Oderland district, northeast of Berlin.

While the AfD has formally contested the election outcome and continues to advocate for the abolition of postal voting, authorities remain firm that the established safeguards sufficiently protect the integrity of the election process. The matter is now subject to further review following the official objection submitted by the AfD.

The outcome in Bad Freienwalde has highlighted the increasing scrutiny of postal voting in German elections and underscores ongoing debates regarding electoral procedures and their perceived vulnerabilities. As the relevant authorities review the AfD's objections, the final resolution of the mayoral election remains pending.