Voting Fraud In Austria: Is It A Concern?

Voting fraud has been a problem in Austria in the past, with the country's highest court annulling the result of the 2016 presidential election after the far-right Freedom Party challenged the result, citing the illegal and improper handling of postal votes. The election saw Norbert Hofer of the Freedom Party lose to former Greens leader Alexander Van der Bellen by just 30,863 votes. The Freedom Party claimed that thousands of votes were opened earlier than permitted, some were counted by unauthorised people, and that under-16s and foreigners had been allowed to vote. The court found that over 77,900 absentee votes were improperly counted too early, but there was no proof of the count being manipulated. This is not the only instance of voting fraud in Austria's history, as Hitler made claims of voter fraud and rigging of elections by the Austrian government as an excuse to invade the country during World War II.

Postal votes illegally handled in 94 out of 117 districts in the 2016 Austrian presidential election

In the 2016 Austrian presidential election, the Freedom Party's candidate Norbert Hofer narrowly lost to the former leader of the Greens, Alexander Van der Bellen, by just 30,863 votes or less than one percentage point. The Freedom Party challenged the result, claiming that postal votes had been illegally handled in 94 out of 117 districts. They alleged that thousands of votes were opened earlier than permitted and counted by unauthorised people, and that under-16s and foreigners had been allowed to vote.

The Constitutional Court of Austria found that election rules had been broken in a way that could have influenced the result, and the election outcome was annulled. However, the Court also stated that there was no proof of count manipulation. Over 77,900 absentee votes were improperly counted too early, but there was no indication of fraudulent manipulation. The Court's decision was based on the fact that the number of votes affected by the irregularities was more than double the margin of victory, meaning the outcome could theoretically have been different.

The Freedom Party's leader, Heinz-Christian Strache, called the irregularities "massive violations of the law" and described the Court's ruling as "a victory of democracy and justice". The election was re-run on 4 December 2016, with Van der Bellen ultimately winning with 53.8% of the vote.

The Freedom Party's claims of voter fraud in the 2016 election

The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) made several claims of voter fraud during the 2016 Austrian presidential election. The election saw Norbert Hofer of the FPÖ face off against Alexander Van der Bellen, an independent candidate and former leader of the Greens.

The first round of voting took place on 24 April 2016, with Hofer receiving the most votes and Van der Bellen coming in second. Since no candidate received a majority of the votes, a runoff election between the two was held on 22 May 2016. Van der Bellen narrowly won the runoff after postal ballots were counted, beating Hofer by just 30,863 votes, or less than one percentage point.

Following the announcement of the results, the FPÖ alleged that the election was marred by voter fraud and irregularities. The party's secretary, Herbert Kickl, claimed that absentee votes had shown "inconsistencies" in the past. The party leader, Heinz-Christian Strache, pointed to a reported 146.9% voter turnout in Linz and Waidhofen as evidence of irregularities. However, the interior ministry attributed this to a data entry error.

The FPÖ's main claims of voter fraud included:

• Early counting of thousands of postal ballots: The FPÖ argued that postal ballots were illegally handled in 94 out of 117 districts, with thousands of votes opened earlier than permitted under election rules.
• Unauthorised counting of votes: The party claimed that some votes were counted by people who were not authorised to do so.
• Voting by minors and non-citizens: The FPÖ alleged that there was evidence that some individuals under the age of 16 and non-Austrian citizens had been allowed to vote.

The FPÖ challenged the election results in the Constitutional Court, arguing that the irregularities could have affected the outcome. The Court found that Austrian electoral law had been disregarded in 14 out of 117 administrative districts, with over 77,900 absentee votes counted too early. However, the Court also stated that there was no proof that the count had been manipulated. Ultimately, the Court annulled the results of the second round and ordered a re-vote, which took place on 4 December 2016. Van der Bellen won the re-vote with 53.8% of the vote.

The Austrian Constitutional Court's decision to annul the 2016 election results

The Freedom Party alleged that there were "`massive irregularities'" in the voting process, including claims that postal votes were illegally and improperly handled. They argued that thousands of votes were opened earlier than permitted and that some were counted by unauthorised individuals. The party also claimed that there was evidence of under-16s and foreigners being allowed to vote.

The Constitutional Court, led by Chief Justice Gerhart Holzinger, found that while there was no proof of vote manipulation, Austrian electoral law had been disregarded in 14 out of 117 administrative districts. Specifically, they identified that over 77,900 absentee votes were improperly counted too early. As a result, the Court annulled the election results and ordered a re-run of the election, stating that "laws regulating an election must be rigorously applied...This must rule out abuse and manipulations."

The decision was met with mixed reactions. Van der Bellen expressed confidence in winning a second time, while Hofer and the Freedom Party saw it as a moral victory. The ruling also had broader implications, with some speculating about its potential impact on Austria's future relationship with the EU, particularly in light of the UK's Brexit decision.

The re-vote was initially scheduled for October 2016 but was postponed to December 4, 2016, due to faulty glue in the voting envelopes. Ultimately, Van der Bellen won the second round re-vote with 53.8% of the vote and a voter turnout of 74.2%. He was sworn in as Austria's twelfth president on January 26, 2017.

Voter fraud as an excuse for Hitler to invade Austria in World War II

In 1938, Hitler invaded Austria and annexed it into Nazi Germany. This event, known as the Anschluss, was justified by Hitler with claims of voter fraud and election rigging by the Austrian government. However, these allegations were false, and the invasion was part of a long-term plan for the unification of Austria and Germany.

Hitler, an Austrian-born German, had strong nationalist ideas and believed in the unification of all Germans into one nation-state. After rising to power in Germany, he pursued the idea of the Anschluss, which was supported by many Austrian citizens, particularly those on the political left and center. However, the Austrian government, controlled by the Austrofascist Fatherland Front, opposed unification.

In early 1938, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced a referendum on the possible union with Germany, which was scheduled for March 13. Hitler, portraying this as defying the popular will, threatened an invasion and pressured Schuschnigg to resign. On March 12, the day before the planned referendum, the German Army crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military.

The plebiscite was held on April 10, with threats and coercion employed to manipulate the vote, resulting in 99.7% approval for the Anschluss. While the true opinions of the population are unknown, it is estimated that about 70% of Austrians would have voted to preserve Austrian independence.

The invasion and annexation of Austria demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and the failure of Britain and France to take action against him for violating the Versailles Treaty. The Anschluss was a significant step in Hitler's desire to create a Greater German Reich, and it set the stage for further aggression and the outbreak of World War II.

Security measures in place to prevent electoral fraud in Germany

Germany has implemented several security measures to ensure the integrity of its electoral process and prevent fraud. Here are some of the key measures in place:

• Legislation and Institutions: Germany has comprehensive electoral laws that provide a framework for secure elections. The Federal Returning Officer and other electoral bodies play a crucial role in enforcing these laws and ensuring the proper conduct of elections.
• Hybrid Threat Protection: Germany recognises the importance of protecting elections from hybrid threats, including disinformation campaigns and cyberattacks. The Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community leads efforts to counter such threats, working closely with other ministries and security authorities to detect and prevent foreign interference.
• Voting Process Security: Germany employs various security measures during the voting process. This includes the use of official ballot papers for both in-person and postal voting, as well as secure ballot boxes. Voting machines and online voting, which could be vulnerable to cyberattacks, are not used in Germany.
• Vote Counting and Verification: Germany ensures the accuracy of vote counting through several measures. Volunteer election assistants from the electorate count the votes, and the process is conducted in public to allow for verification. Additionally, post-election audits are conducted to further validate the results.
• Cybersecurity: The Federal Office for Information Security provides support to electoral bodies, candidates, and political parties in matters of cybersecurity. They offer guidance and assistance to protect digital identities, social media accounts, and websites from potential cyberattacks.
• Public Awareness and Education: Germany recognises the importance of public awareness and media literacy in combating disinformation. Efforts are made to educate citizens about identifying and countering false or misleading information, fostering a more resilient society.
• International Cooperation: Germany also collaborates with partner countries and international networks, such as the European Union (EU), to share best practices and enhance the security of elections. The EU has initiatives like the European Democracy Action Plan and toolboxes to address hybrid threats and disinformation.

These measures demonstrate Germany's commitment to safeguarding the integrity of its electoral process and preventing electoral fraud. By combining legislative, institutional, and technical measures, along with public awareness, Germany seeks to ensure fair and secure elections.

Regarding voting fraud in Austria, there have been instances where election results were disputed and annulled due to irregularities. For example, in the 2016 Austrian presidential election, the results of the second round were annulled due to irregularities in handling postal votes, and a re-vote was held. However, it is important to note that electoral fraud allegations are not common in Austria, and the country generally has a strong democratic process.

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