Only minor changes in party support at re-runs of municipal elections

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The re-runs of last year's municipal elections, held in three constituencies after glitches with electronic voting obliged the Ministry of Justice to hold a new vote, did little to change the local political landscape.
      In Vihti, the Centre Party got one extra member on the council at the expense of an independent local grouping, while in Kauniainen the Swedish People's Party took one seat from the National Coalition Party and won an overall majority in this already strongly SPP-leaning community.
      In the third case, in Karkkila, there was no change in the party breakdown of the councillors.
     
One or two new faces did emerge on councils in all three places as a result of the exceptional re-running of the elections.
      The real news, however, was that most people seemed decidedly underwhelmed by the whole affair, and many found better things to do than to go to vote.
      In Kauniainen the turnout fell from 75.7% to 64.1%, while in Karkkila it was down to 46.3% from 59.7%.
      The biggest drop of all was in Vihti, where just over 58.3% turned out last year, but only 41.7% bothered to vote again.
     
The candidates on the electoral lists were identical to those a year ago, for legal reasons, even though two candidates running in 2008 were in fact deceased by the time voters had a second try.
      Their votes went to their respective parties.
     
The future of electronic voting remains open, but a decision will be taken later this year.
      The failure of the voting machines, which were being tested in these three constituencies for the first time, led to the loss of a total of 223 votes in all.
      In the re-run elections, only traditional voting papers were used.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Two deceased candidates appear in electoral list in renewed municipal election in Vihti (7.8.2009)
  Supreme Administrative court orders new municipal elections for Vihti, Karkkila, and Kauniainen (9.4.2009)

Links:
  Ministry of Justice elections portal

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