
The Socialist Party, in a letter addressed to the Complaints and Sanctions Commission a few days after the resumption of the vote counting process in the Tirana District, requested that ballots where the distinguishing mark is outside the square be considered valid.
The Socialist Party has expressed concern after the KAS declared invalid the ballots where the distinctive sign expressing the will of the voter was not placed inside the box.
According to this political force, this decision was made in violation of electoral practice over the years, as well as the legal framework.
"Referring to decision no. 30, dated 25.04.2025, of the Regulatory Commission for the 'Working Guide for the Electoral Administration Zone Commissions and Vote Counting Groups for the elections to the Assembly of the Republic of Albania, in the case when the voter's mark on the ballot is not located inside the box corresponding to the respective candidate of the multi-name list, but the mark is made in such a way that it clearly indicates the will of the voter, the ballot is considered valid", the letter states.
This political force emphasizes that the evaluation of ballots marked as invalid affects the number of votes of candidates on the Socialist Party's preferential list.
"We ask you to respect the normative regulatory framework and the practice implemented so far during the vote counting and evaluation process," the letter to the KAS reads.
On the evaluation of ballots during the vote revaluation process for the Tirana district electoral zone
Announcement:
Complaints and Sanctions Commission (KAS).
Dear members of the Commission!
The electoral entity Socialist Party of Albania has become aware of your decision-making during the process of re-evaluating the votes for the Tirana district electoral zone, from which it results that the ballots on which the distinctive sign expressing the will of the voter was not placed inside the box, have been assessed as invalid by your side, contrary to electoral practice over the years, as well as the legal framework.
Referring to decision no. 30, dated 25.04.2025, of the Regulatory Commission for the 'Working Guide for the Electoral Administration Zone Commissions and Vote Counting Groups for the elections to the Assembly of the Republic of Albania, in the case when the voter's mark on the ballot paper is not located inside the box corresponding to the respective candidate of the multi-name list, but the mark is made in such a way that it clearly indicates the will of the voter, the ballot paper is considered valid.
As above, given that the evaluation of ballots with the above marking as invalid affects the number of votes of candidates on the preferential list of the electoral subject Socialist Party, resulting in their change in the summary table, as has resulted to us up to this stage, we ask you to respect the normative regulatory framework and the practice implemented so far during the process of counting and evaluating votes.