Slovakia Ministry of Interior clarifies voting rules for October elections

The Slovak Ministry of Interior has clarified the rules for ballot validity for the upcoming combined local elections on October 24. According to spokesperson Matej Neumann, a ballot remains valid even if it is dirty, torn, or scribbled on, provided that the voter's intent is clear and the modifications follow legal requirements.

Specifically, a ballot is valid if the voter circles the candidate's ordinal number. While circling numbers is the legal method of voting, other modifications such as crossing names out or writing in additional names will not be considered. A ballot becomes invalid if it is not on the prescribed form or if the voter circles more candidates than the number of seats available in that specific electoral district.

The elections will involve voting for mayors, municipal and city councilors, regional chairpersons, and regional councilors across nearly 3,000 municipalities and cities. To distinguish between the combined elections, voters will use color-coded materials: white for municipal elections and blue for higher territorial unit (VÚC) elections. Voters who make a mistake can request new ballots from the district election commission.