Breakdown in Hallein

No run-off election! Election information sent out nevertheless

Town leader Stangassinger (SPÖ) no longer has to go to the polling station.(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

Turnaround in the battle for the mayoralty? Will there be a run-off election in Hallein, Salzburg after all? Of course not! Nevertheless, information letters about an alleged ballot on March 24 are in circulation. A Tyrolean company made a mistake and sent out the false letters ... 

An attentive postal employee prevented worse. He noticed that more and more election information about the upcoming mayoral run-off election in Hallein was arriving at his post office. These letters are sent to all eligible voters. The man became suspicious.

There will be no run-off election in Salzburg's second largest city on March 24. As is well known, Mayor Alexander Stangassinger (SPÖ) celebrated a superior victory in the first round of voting despite six rivals. The postal worker immediately raised the alarm.

The reason for the mishap was soon clear. A Tyrolean company sends out the letters on behalf of the town of Hallein. The company does this for hundreds of municipalities throughout Austria and probably sent out the election information due to an internal communication error. Almost 100 incorrect letters are believed to be in circulation. "Mistakes happen. The people of Halle already know that there is no run-off election," says the mayor.

Decision to be made today after confusion in Golling
This is already the second election mishap in Tennengau within a few days. As reported, the Obergäu polling station counted the votes correctly, but mixed up the votes for the SPÖ and FPÖ when transmitting the data.

As a result, two seats in the local parliament are likely to be subsequently transferred from the Freedom Party to the parliamentary group of neo-mayor Martin Dietrich. This would make the SPÖ the party with the most votes in Golling. As reported, the FPÖ is demanding a recount. Today, Friday, a decision on this is to be made by the district electoral authority.