Is the Cross Mark Invalid in the Upcoming Sri Lankan Presidential Election?

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As the presidential election approaches, many misleading claims often circulate on social media, including false information about voting procedures and other election-related matters. These misleading narratives can create confusion and misinformation among voters, making it crucial to verify the accuracy of such claims before sharing or believing them.

Social Media Posts

Social media is circulating claims that voters cannot use a cross mark (X) to cast their vote in the upcoming presidential election in Sri Lanka. Instead, they must use numerals (1, 2, and 3) to indicate their preferences among candidates.

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Some main stream media also reported it.

We decided to do a fact-check.

Fact-Check:

In light of the upcoming presidential election in Sri Lanka, various claims are being circulated on social media, suggesting changes in how votes can be cast. Specifically, these claims assert that voters can no longer use the traditional cross mark (X) to vote but must instead mark their preferences using numbers (1, 2, and 3).

Verification Process:

Review of the Election Commission's Statements:

We began our fact-check by examining any official statements from the Election Commission regarding the voting process. Notably, there was no official video or statement directly prohibiting the use of a cross mark in this election.

Analysis of Relevant Conversations:

Further investigation led us to a recent conversation between R.M.A.L. Rathnayake, the Chairman of the Election Commission, and a BBC Sinhala journalist. During this conversation, when asked about the process if no candidate receives 50% of the votes, Rathnayake explained that voters can use numerals (1, 2, 3) to indicate their preferences for candidates.

He elaborated on the second and third preference counting system but did not state that the cross mark would be invalid or unusable in this election. The full video conversation can be reached from here

Consultation with Election Commission Officials:

To clarify this further, we contacted Channa De Silva, the Director of Planning at the Election Commission. He confirmed that voters could indeed use a cross mark (X) to vote for a candidate if they prefer only one. Additionally, he clarified that the 1, 2, and 3 numeral systems could be used to indicate preferences among multiple candidates. Both methods are valid under the current election regulations.

Read in Sinhala : ඡන්ද පත්‍රිකාවේ කතිරය ලකුණු කරන්න බැරිද?

Read also : How can the second and third votes in the election be cast correctly?

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Conclusion:

The claim that voters cannot use a cross mark (X) to cast their vote in the upcoming presidential election is false. Voters are allowed to use a cross mark to vote for a single candidate if they wish. Alternatively, they may use the numeral system (1, 2, and 3) to rank their preferences among multiple candidates. Both methods are acceptable under the election rules.

Voters should be aware of the official guidelines issued by the Election Commission and not be misled by unverified claims on social media.