It's a simple X but thousands get it wrong every election

REJECTED: Any markings or words that can identify the voter (1); ballot papers marked with rude, sensitive or mocking words (2); marks outside the ballot paper instead of in the given space (3); empty ballot papers (4); where any picture or symbol is drawn on any part of the ballot paper (5); and marks that cover all/both candidates (6).

NST
AROUND the world, a simple X is all it takes to mark the spot on a ballot paper. But just leave it to Malaysians to get a little more creative when stating their choice of candidate.

By scribbling their own names on ballot papers to drawing symbols on it, hundreds of thousands of Malaysians spoilt their votes in past general elections.

According to Election Commission figures, there were 134,058 spoilt votes cast for state assembly seats and 165,018 for parliamentary seats in 2004.

And apart from their names and symbols, some voters pencilled in triple approval and disapproval marks and marked X on the reverse side of the ballot papers.

Some even went so far as to scrawl bad words under the names of candidates.
“Kartun pun ada!” (Cartoons are also drawn!), says Election Commission secretary Datuk Kamaruzaman Mohd Noor.

Recently, Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz asked members to help educate voters to minimise spoilt voters.

“This is serious as in some areas, the majority we got was less than the number of spoilt votes,” she was quoted as saying.

“In some constituencies in Kelantan, the Pas (opposition party) majority was small but the number of spoilt votes was bigger. It could have been the other way around — we could have won or lost.”

Based on the large number, she suggested that some voters may be new or too old to remember how to vote and that Wanita Umno should go to the ground to teach them the basics of voting.

But Kamaruzaman says that people spoiled their votes on purpose.

“It’s intentional. Plain and simple,” he said when asked whether voters spoiled votes because they were ignorant about procedures.

“As a layman, tell me, is it very difficult to just put an X in the box for the person you want to choose? Just think. Is it difficult?

“The just don’t like the candidates.”

Kamaruzaman added that although the numbers looked large, spoilt votes made up a small percentage the total votes cast in an election.

Over the years Johor has consistently recorded high spoilt vote numbers and came out tops in the last election.

The spoilt votes cast in this state accounted for almost 15 per cent of all spoilt votes in parliamentary seats in the country, and 17 percent in state seats.

Perak and Selangor followed close behind Johor with more than 20,000 spoilt votes in parliamentary seats and close to that number for the state seats.

Perlis had the lowest number of spoilt votes for state seats at 1,890 votes and Putrajaya recorded just 28 spoilt votes for parliamentary seats.

But if a voter has made a genuine mistake - like marking a tick instead of an X - his vote can still be taken into account, as along as the intention is clear, assured Kamaruzaman.

He said some voters even drew circles around the name of their candidate of choice or marked an X on the name, instead of in the box beside the candidates’ names.

Others have marked the given box with an asterisk, line or dot.

“These are called doubtful votes.

“The person doing the counting will hold up the doubtful vote for the agents of candidates to consider.

“These agents, who are present during vote counting will be asked whether the vote is acceptable,” explained Kamaruzaman.

If the agents agree, the votes are accepted.

“We only really reject if the voter has made a mark for both candidates on the ballot paper because we don’t know what his intention was; who he has chosen.”

From a biscuit tin to a transparent box

FROM good old biscuit tins to state-of-the-art translucent containers, ballot boxes have come in all shapes and sizes throughout the country’s election history.

These pictures are from the 50 Years of Democracy and Elections in Malaysia commemorative book. Picture No 1 shows an old tin labelled tou piao xiang.

This loosely translates into 'box to drop in ticket'.

It was used in the first general election in 1955 where people voted to select representatives to the local and municipal councils.

The see-through ballot box (No 11) will make its debut at the 12th general election.

At a reported cost of RM16 million, some 50,000 of these lightweight boxes will replace the old black metal ballot boxes that have been in use for several elections now.

Wicker baskets, quirky posters and all

THERE was a time when ballot papers were transported in sealed wicker baskets.

A time when local councillors were elected and the list of ballot papers ran several sheets long.

These pictures and the story of how Malaysia came to vote is told in a tidy 200-page coffee table book called 50 Years: Democracy and Elections in Malaysia.

Published by the Election Commission, the book opens with an explanation of the constitutional monarchy.

Illustrated with photographs in sepia tone, it details the early years of Malaya’s administration and how elections were first introduced in the country.

The book also covers the evolution in elections - from the delineation of constituencies to the conducting of elections.

Pictures of quirky posters, lines of voters, flag wars and news reports explain the modern day elections.

The book even dedicates an entire section to how old ballot papers are destroyed.