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BROUGHT TO POLLING STATIONS WERE PEOPLE WHO SHOULDN'T HAVE VOTED: NIKOL PASHINYAN ON HRAZDAN ELECTIONS
epress.am
02.14.2012
Haykakan Jamanak ("Armenian Times") chief editor Nikol Pashinyan
(pictured) in his editorial today described what he saw while observing
as opposition candidate Sasun Mikaelyan's proxy at polling station
25/16 during the Feb. 12 Hrazdan mayoral elections.
Pashinyan notes that in this particular polling station, there were
1,890 registered voters, 1,353 of which voted. Incumbent Aram Danielyan
received 656 votes while Sasun Mikaelyan, 653. Forty-four votes were
declared invalid.
Though there were no flagrant incidents and everyone who wanted
to vote made it to the polling station before it closed, Pashinyan
noted, brought to the polling station were people who "under normal
circumstances shouldn't have voted."
The opposition representative cited an example of a 70-year-old man
with tears in his eyes describing how he underwent surgery two days
ago but was brought to the polling station from intensive care to
vote. Receiving his ballot, he went to the booth and began to ask
out loud how he should vote. One of the electoral commission members
explained to him that there are two candidates and he can vote for
whoever he wants. The man then came out of the booth with his ballot
open and everyone could see that he had filled it out incorrectly. It
was then explained to him how to properly insert a check next to
the candidate's name and he was given a new ballot, but not before
Pashinyan saw that he had voted for Aram Danielyan.
Pashinyan explains that this was not the only such incident.
Apparently, brought to the polling stations were elderly men and
women who were physically unwell, who "had difficulty saying one or
two words," and who upon arrival announced that they were unable
to vote independently and thus, voted guided by the assistance of
their grandchildren or other individuals. Also brought to vote were
the mentally ill who voted the same way and, "naturally, in Aram
Danielyan's favor." There were frequent incidents of confused voters
and open ballots that were returned and filled in again, but in the
process, their vote for the incumbent was evident, Pashinyan noted.
The Haykakan Jamanak chief editor also cited several cases of Armenians
with Russian passports. "These people have been living in Armenia
these past few weeks or perhaps days, and come what may, they will
again depart for Russia, because they have no other way of feeding
their families... and many of those who came to 25/16 polling station
perhaps are participating in elections in Armenia for the last time -
many of them will leave and never return."
"I tried to recall how many prosperous people or even those in 'middle
class' dress I saw at 25/16 polling station. I can count them on my
fingers," he added.
Pashinyan concludes by pointing to the fact that though Aram Danielyan
received 656 votes, "how many of those 656 citizens consider
Danielyan's victory theirs? I guarantee, not more than 50. The
rest voted not because they decided, but because they were forced -
others decided for them The proof of this was the citizen brought
from the hospital who, receiving a ballot, was crying that he was
operated on just two days ago, but today he was forced to come to
the polling station."
epress.am
02.14.2012
Haykakan Jamanak ("Armenian Times") chief editor Nikol Pashinyan
(pictured) in his editorial today described what he saw while observing
as opposition candidate Sasun Mikaelyan's proxy at polling station
25/16 during the Feb. 12 Hrazdan mayoral elections.
Pashinyan notes that in this particular polling station, there were
1,890 registered voters, 1,353 of which voted. Incumbent Aram Danielyan
received 656 votes while Sasun Mikaelyan, 653. Forty-four votes were
declared invalid.
Though there were no flagrant incidents and everyone who wanted
to vote made it to the polling station before it closed, Pashinyan
noted, brought to the polling station were people who "under normal
circumstances shouldn't have voted."
The opposition representative cited an example of a 70-year-old man
with tears in his eyes describing how he underwent surgery two days
ago but was brought to the polling station from intensive care to
vote. Receiving his ballot, he went to the booth and began to ask
out loud how he should vote. One of the electoral commission members
explained to him that there are two candidates and he can vote for
whoever he wants. The man then came out of the booth with his ballot
open and everyone could see that he had filled it out incorrectly. It
was then explained to him how to properly insert a check next to
the candidate's name and he was given a new ballot, but not before
Pashinyan saw that he had voted for Aram Danielyan.
Pashinyan explains that this was not the only such incident.
Apparently, brought to the polling stations were elderly men and
women who were physically unwell, who "had difficulty saying one or
two words," and who upon arrival announced that they were unable
to vote independently and thus, voted guided by the assistance of
their grandchildren or other individuals. Also brought to vote were
the mentally ill who voted the same way and, "naturally, in Aram
Danielyan's favor." There were frequent incidents of confused voters
and open ballots that were returned and filled in again, but in the
process, their vote for the incumbent was evident, Pashinyan noted.
The Haykakan Jamanak chief editor also cited several cases of Armenians
with Russian passports. "These people have been living in Armenia
these past few weeks or perhaps days, and come what may, they will
again depart for Russia, because they have no other way of feeding
their families... and many of those who came to 25/16 polling station
perhaps are participating in elections in Armenia for the last time -
many of them will leave and never return."
"I tried to recall how many prosperous people or even those in 'middle
class' dress I saw at 25/16 polling station. I can count them on my
fingers," he added.
Pashinyan concludes by pointing to the fact that though Aram Danielyan
received 656 votes, "how many of those 656 citizens consider
Danielyan's victory theirs? I guarantee, not more than 50. The
rest voted not because they decided, but because they were forced -
others decided for them The proof of this was the citizen brought
from the hospital who, receiving a ballot, was crying that he was
operated on just two days ago, but today he was forced to come to
the polling station."