The criminal investigation
On Monday, Dagens Industri reported that the National Anti-Corruption Unit has launched an investigation into suspected election fraud in Dalarna. The investigation concerns suspicions of "improper influence during voting" following a police report filed on September 1. The investigation was initially closed for lack of evidence, but was later resumed after new information was received, according to the prosecutor.
The investigation is understood to concern marked ballots in the parliamentary election, according to information in several media outlets. Expressen has reported that an anonymous police report contains information that people are alleged to have driven voters from disadvantaged areas and provided them with marked ballots. There are also pictures of a person handing out both money and ballots to voters, according to Aftonbladet and Dagens Nyheter. This information has not been confirmed by prosecutors.
The police's National Operational Department (Noa) has - according to procedure - taken over the investigation from the police in Bergslagen, but the prosecutor is the same.
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Pre-marked ballot papers
Machine-marked ballots are not allowed in Swedish elections, but if the marks are made by hand, they can pass. In 2018, the SD was reported for distributing marked ballots, without telling anyone about it, in Halland. Both the County Administrative Board in Halland and later the Election Review Board concluded that it was “inappropriate”, but not “improperly affecting the election”. The election outcome had not been affected either.
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No suspect
According to media reports, Left Party MP Mohamed Abdukardir Ali from Borlänge is linked to the investigation. This has now been confirmed by the prosecutor for Sveriges Radio Dalarna, but no one has been charged with a crime.
Mohamed Abdukardir Ali received 648 personal votes and thus the Left Party's only parliamentary seat from Dalarna. He himself tells SVT that he is shocked:
That's completely, completely wrong. I didn't do it. I know the law. I've been trusted in every district in Dalarna.
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“Time out”
On Tuesday, Left Party party secretary Maria Forsberg announced that Mohamed Abdukardir Ali is “taking a timeout” from the Riksdag. As long as the investigation into suspected election fraud is ongoing, he will not serve as a member of parliament.
Taking a "timeout" is not a formal concept. Abdukardir Ali needs to be present at the Riksdag's session next week and request leave and have his leave application granted by the Riksdag in order to be replaced.
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Local politicians take a break
A left-wing party member who looks set to take a seat on the Borlänge city council through personal votes is also taking a break from politics until everything is sorted out, Borlänge Tidning reported on Tuesday evening.
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Election Review Board
Following media reports of suspected election fraud, appeals have – based on media reports – flowed in to the Election Review Board. The board, as the highest instance, reviews whether the elections were conducted fairly in accordance with election legislation. There, anyone who suspects that an election was not conducted fairly can appeal the election results.
Decisions on re-election are rare and have never been made for any constituency in the parliamentary election.
