Four Scenarios Ahead as Court Rules on Barcode Ballot Case
The Constitutional Court is set to rule on Thailand's barcode ballot controversy, with outcomes ranging from declaring ballots valid to potentially requiring a nationwide re-election, according to analysis by a former Election Commissioner.
On September 25, former Election Commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakorn posted analysis on Facebook regarding the Constitutional Court's scheduled ruling on the barcode ballot issue, laying out four possible outcomes ranging from least to most severe.
Scenario 1: Ballots with barcodes are valid and do not allow tracing back to individual voters, remaining secret and constitutional. No changes needed; elections proceed as normal.
Scenario 2: Barcodes can be traced to voters through the serial numbers matching the original ballot stock. While this violates the constitution, if no actual harm can be proven, the Election Commission is simply prohibited from using this ballot design in the future, but no new election is required.
Scenario 3: Ballots are ruled unconstitutional, requiring a new election for party-list seats only.
Scenario 4: Ballots are found unconstitutional in a way that compromises the entire electoral system, requiring a complete nationwide re-election. The court's September 28 decision will determine which scenario plays out.
