Challenge to the local elections in Jena rejected

The Thuringian State Administrative Office has rejected the challenge to the local elections in Jena on May 26, 2019.

In its reasoning, the legal supervisory authority referred to the Thuringian municipal election regulations. This regulates the duration of the election process. At the end of this period, only voters who are still in the polling station may cast their vote. This corresponds to the usual provisions for elections, which also apply to the European elections held at the same time. Accordingly, it was not objectionable if waiting voters had already been informed of the legal situation before 6 p.m.

The State Administration Office also acknowledged the commitment of the many, mostly voluntary, election assistants. In the situation on election day, they, like the municipal electoral officer, could not be expected to make difficult constitutional assessments and disregard an explicit legal norm (Section 35 sentence 2 ThürKWO). It is not compliance with, but rather a deviation from this regulation that requires special justification.

The complainants have one month to lodge an appeal against the decision of the State Administrative Office with the Gera Administrative Court.