Elective ink
Voting ink , voting stain or ink containing phosphorus is typically applied either as a semi-permanent ink or as a dye to the index finger of voters in order to prevent election fraud in the form of multiple voting by one person in ongoing elections. This is an effective method for countries where personal documents are not always standardized or institutionalized.
application
Voting ink is a security measure to prevent multiple rounds of political elections. The ink is usually applied to the index finger of the left or right hand, especially the cuticle , as it is more difficult to remove from there. The application of the ink can be done in a number of ways depending on the circumstances, preference and priority. The most common methods are dipping your finger into a vial with a sponge insert, vial with a brush attachment, spray bottle, and permanent marker . With all these methods, a drying time of between 15 and 30 seconds and light drying should be observed before the first dabbing in order to achieve the desired shelf life.
composition
Ink of choice typically contains a dye for easy, instant recognition and silver nitrate , which ensures visibility even in ultraviolet light. The ink thus leaves a trace that is almost impossible to remove, which only slowly disappears as the old and new outer skin cells grow. Standard industrial ink of choice consists of 10%, 14% or 18% silver nitrate, depending on how long the shelf life is desired. The water-based ink of choice sometimes also contains a solvent such as alcohol in order to reduce the drying time, especially in the case of immersion vials, which also contain a biocide to prevent bacterial contamination.
durability
Ink of choice usually remains visible on the skin between 72 and 96 hours and on the fingernail or cuticle for about 2 to 4 weeks. The voting ink used in India marks the voter directly on the cuticle of the index finger, which means that the ink only disappears completely when the nail regrows. This can take up to four months. A higher silver nitrate concentration than 18% in the ink no longer has any influence on the durability, because even stronger silver nitrate solutions do not cause a photosensitive reaction in living skin cells. The color diminishes as new cells grow back. Silver nitrate is an irritant and from a concentration of 25% it is also harmful.
Colours
Ink of choice is traditionally purple before the photosensitive effects appear and leave a black or brown residue. In the parliamentary elections in Suriname in 2005, the color orange replaced the violet because it was just as durable and was better received by voters because it represents the national colors. In some countries, women color their fingers purple for cosmetic reasons, which is why a different color is used there in order to emphasize the differences more clearly and to avoid an unjustified ban on voting.
Instead of colored ink of choice, ink is occasionally used that cannot be seen with the naked eye, but only under ultraviolet light. This makes it more difficult to remove and to commit election fraud.
Efficiency
Permanent markers are the most effective use for elective ink. You can mark approx. 600 people with 5 ml pens, while you can only mark approx. 1000 people with the often preferred immersion vials in a size of 100 ml. This preference also depends on the cult images of the elections in Iraq and Afghanistan at the beginning of the 21st century. together, where countless voters put their colored fingers in the cameras. Fingers dipped in ink leave a more impressive and somewhat longer-lasting (depending on the silver nitrate concentration) impression than permanent markers. However, these are much cheaper to buy and easier to transport, which significantly reduces the costs for the election organization, especially if the shelf life only needs to be ensured for 3 to 5 days. Permanent markers also leave a much smaller residue, making the method more acceptable to many voters.
debate
In the 2004 Afghan parliamentary elections , accusations were raised that the ink used was too easy to wash off. The election officers had decided in favor of the permanent marker; normal markers were also sent out to some polling stations, which has created confusion and left some voters with less permanent markings.
Critics note that this security measure can be bypassed simply by covering your finger with a thin, transparent layer of adhesive. As a result, the ink would only be absorbed by the adhesive and the way for a second ballot would be open.
In the parliamentary elections in Malaysia in 2008 , electoral officials withdrew the use of ink just a week before the elections on the grounds that it would discourage people from voting even if they had voted before. In addition, the election bureau cited reports that ink had been smuggled into Perlis , Kedah and Kelantan in order to mark people against their will and thus prevent their voting.
During Zimbabwe's 2008 presidential election , reports came to light showing that people who did not vote, meaning that they did not have a purple finger, were beaten by government-paid mobs.
There was also violence related to electoral ink during the 2009 presidential election in Afghanistan . There, in the Kandahar region, at least two people who had participated in the election were cut off by the Taliban. They were easy to identify as voters because of the voting ink.
In the Malaysian parliamentary elections in 2013 , given the first official use of election ink in the country, numerous voters pointed out that the ink could be easily washed off under running water, despite assurances from the Malaysian Election Commission that this was not possible.
International use
Some countries that have been shown to have used elective ink:
Web links
- Description of various processes with elective ink in the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Ink identification kits ( Memento of December 28, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) lantrade.com, accessed on May 6, 2013.
- ↑ Other technologies aceproject.org, accessed on May 6, 2013.
- ↑ Scott Baldauf: An Afghan 'Hanging chad' Dispute The Christian Science Monitor , October 12, 2004, accessed May 6, 2013.
- ^ Sunil Raman: India link to Afghan ink stink BBC News, accessed May 6, 2013.
- ↑ Raphael Wong: Ink Washout - The Star The Star , accessed May 6, 2013.
- ↑ Tsvangirai rejects 'sham' ballot BBC News, accessed May 6, 2013.
- ↑ Presidential election in Afghanistan: Taliban cut fingers off voters Spiegel online, accessed on May 24, 2013.
- ^ Election ink under scrutiny in Malaysia aljazeera.com, accessed May 6, 2013.