Editorial – Restoring Public Confidence

The access to ballot card codes in the February 8 parliamentary election has become a widespread debate about whether the voting process remains secret as constitutionally mandated. Observers noted that both party-list and constituency ballots contain barcodes and QR codes that can be scanned into numerical and English letter codes, which may contain information about individual voters. The Election Commission's spokesperson team acknowledged in a press conference that ballot barcodes can be scanned back to the ballot's 'number', but insisted this is a security measure to ensure election integrity and not to identify specific voters. The election management has been heavily criticized regarding its potential to be trustworthy, fair, and legally compliant. The current Election Commission appears disconnected, failing to address concerns and rebuild public trust. The voter turnout decreased by approximately 10% compared to previous elections, and the high number of invalid ballots further reflects organizational shortcomings.