Invalid Votes, Rejection of Postal Ballot Letters, Rules for Establishing Invalidity
(1) Votes shall be invalid if the ballot paper
1. has not been handed over in an official voting envelope,
2. has been handed over in a voting envelope which obviously differs from the other envelopes in a manner endangering the secrecy of the ballot or which contains a distinctly tangible object,
3. has not been manufactured by the government or is valid for another constituency,
4. shows no marking,
5. does not reveal the voter's intent beyond doubt,
6. contains any addendum or reservation.
In the cases specified in nos. 1 to 4, both votes shall be invalid.
(2) Several ballot papers in one voting envelope shall be considered one ballot paper if their wording is identical or if only one of them has been marked; otherwise they shall count as one ballot paper with two invalid votes.
(3) If the voting envelope has been handed over empty, both votes shall be considered invalid. Where only one vote has been cast on the ballot paper, the vote not cast shall be invalid.
(4) Under the postal ballot procedure, postal ballot letters shall be rejected if
1. the postal ballot letter is not received on time,
2. no or no valid ballot paper is enclosed in the postal ballot letter envelope,
3. there is no voting envelope in the postal ballot letter envelope,
4. neither the postal ballot letter envelope nor the voting envelope is sealed,
5. the postal ballot letter envelope contains several voting envelopes but not an equal number of valid polling cards bearing the prescribed assurance in lieu of an oath,
6. the voter or the person of his or her confidence has not signed the prescribed assurance in lieu of an oath for the postal ballot on the polling card,
7. no official voting envelope has been used,
8. a voting envelope has been used which obviously differs from the other envelopes in a manner endangering the secrecy of the ballot or which contains a distinctly tangible object.
The senders of postal ballot letters that are rejected shall not be counted as voters; their votes shall be considered not cast.
(5) The votes of a voter who has taken part in the postal ballot shall not become invalid if he or she dies before or on election day or is disqualified from voting pursuant to Article 13.
