Ballot paper shortages and torn sheets caused chaos at polling stations in Seoul's Songpa-gu district during local elections on June 3, 2024 [1].
The incident highlights critical failures in the National Election Commission's logistical planning, raising concerns about the reliability of the voting process in high-density urban areas.
Lee Sang-neung, head of Election Department 1 at the National Election Commission, said the agency printed ballot papers for Songpa-gu at approximately 50% [1] of the registered-voter count. This decision was based on estimated early-voting rates, but the mechanical distribution of these sheets did not account for actual variations in turnout at specific polling sites.
At the Jamsil polling station, staff reported that the lack of available papers led to ballots being ripped as officials struggled to manage the flow of voters. Despite the localized shortages, the actual in-person turnout for Songpa-gu was recorded at 42.4% [2].
Data reports indicate a paradoxical outcome where some stations ran out of papers while others had an excess. Approximately 40,000 surplus ballot sheets remained unused across the district after the polls closed [1].
Lee Sang-neung said the commission had identified the printing volume as roughly 50% of the voter population in the area [1]. The discrepancy between the total surplus and the localized shortages suggests a failure in the distribution strategy rather than a total lack of printed materials.
Staff at the Jamsil site described a scene of confusion as they attempted to resolve the shortage in real time. The lack of a flexible reserve system meant that voters faced delays, and damaged materials during the casting process.
“The National Election Commission printed ballot papers for Songpa-gu at approximately 50% of the registered-voter count.”
The gap between a 42.4% turnout and a 50% printing rate should have provided a sufficient buffer. The fact that shortages occurred despite 40,000 surplus sheets indicates a systemic failure in the 'last mile' of distribution—moving papers from central storage to specific polling stations—rather than a simple miscalculation of the total number of voters.
