Austria postpones election until December 4th, against objections

FPÖ General Secretary Herbert Kickl calls for reform of the postal vote in Austria.

NORBERT HOFER WAS FAVORED TO WIN THE OCTOBER 2ND PRESIDENTAL RUNOFF ELECTION according to polling results, when a problem arose with the glue on the mail-in envelopes. The glue was defective! The envelopes came open by themselves, making them invalid. This under the government leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ).

What to do? Postpone the election for two more months, until December 4, of course, giving them time to turn things around! As Heinz-Christian Strache of Hofer's party, the Freedom Party (FPÖ), has been asking: "Has Austria become a banana republic?" Does it take two months to prepare new postal voting cards in a country as small as Austria? Do they think that by December people will be distracted with the winter holidays, including Christmas, and forget to vote? Or perhaps a big snowstorm will hamper the voting in the rural areas where the FPÖ is strong.

Many questions about this. The FPÖ, Hofer's party, is objecting to the postponement and has offered other ways to deal with the problem. It has said that the postponement is not lawful and that the country should return to the original idea of absentee ballots only for those living outside the country. Special voting vans can be supplied for certain areas for people who cannot get to the polls.

The first run-off election was pronounced invalid because some of the vote-counters did not follow the rules. Now the ballot manufacturers are perhaps guilty of cutting costs with the use of inferior glue?! Indeed, it's time the Social Democrats were turned out of office; they've become complacent.