BBC News reports more than 140,000 ballots were rejected in May.
Quote:
Tens of thousands of votes in the Holyrood election were rejected by the counting machines without any human adjudication, BBC Scotland has learned.
An investigation has established that the machines were programmed to reject some of the new style ballot papers automatically. They never appeared on the screens to be challenged by the parties or adjudicated by returning officers.
The Scotland Office said there was no evidence it added to voter confusion. It added that, in the instance of auto-adjudication for the 3 May election, the decision was taken between returning officers and the e-counting provider.
However, First Minister Alex Salmond described the development as "astonishing" and deeply disturbing. "I was under the impression - until this revelation - that the ballots that were rejected were actually seen by the election agents as part of the process," he said.
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Excuse me, "
the decision was taken between returning officers and the e-counting provider"? These people took it upon themselves to arbitrarily reject 140,00 ballots?
Something is rotten in Scotland.