Key Facts
• On July 20, 2025, a ballot error occurred in Tainai City, Niigata.
• 41 voters received incorrect ballots during the House of Councillors election.
• The error involved swapping ballots for constituency and proportional representation elections.
• Mistake occurred between 7:00 AM and 7:50 AM due to preparation errors.
• A staff member identified the issue at 7:50 AM, halting further errors.
• All 41 affected voters have been identified and will receive individual apologies.
• Tainai City Election Commission issued a public apology for the incident.
• Measures include retraining staff at all 18 polling stations to prevent recurrence.
Summary
On July 20, 2025, a ballot distribution error affected 41 voters in Tainai City, Niigata, during the House of Councillors election. Incorrect ballots were distributed due to a preparation mistake, swapping constituency and proportional representation ballots. The issue was identified within 50 minutes by a polling staff member, and further errors were prevented. The Tainai City Election Commission has apologized to the affected voters and the public, committing to retraining staff across all 18 polling stations to ensure such errors do not recur.
