What began with an anonymous report during early voting has now once again become the subject of an ongoing preliminary investigation. The National Unit Against Corruption is investigating suspicions of undue influence on voting in Borlänge, with information indicating that voters were transported to a polling station and given ballots already marked with specific candidates.
According to the report, people were transported between different areas in Borlänge and the early voting location at the Kupolen mall. The majority of those reportedly driven had a Somali background.
The police began surveillance of a car that was allegedly used for these transports. Several individuals were also subjects of police surveillance. According to information obtained by Expressen, the Left Party’s Member of Parliament Mohamed Abdukardir Ali appears in the surveillance materials.
The complaint describes suspicions of “undue influence during voting by distributing pre-marked ballots to influence the election.” It is also noted that people were “given ballots for the Left Party with candidates already marked.”
Police Wanted to Search the Car
The surveillance is said to have lasted for two days before the election. The police wanted to conduct a search of the car to check for pre-marked ballots, but according to Expressen, the investigator in charge did not authorize this measure against the Somali individual.
The investigation was then dropped, citing evidentiary issues. However, the case has now been reopened and is once again being investigated under the same criminal classification. Prosecutor Oskar Edvardsson from the National Unit Against Corruption confirms that the investigation is active.
“The investigation was closed but has now been reopened and is ongoing,” Oskar Edvardsson told Expressen.
The case concerns the crime of undue influence at voting by distributing pre-marked ballots. But the prosecutor does not wish to comment on why the investigation has been reopened or whether new information has come to light.
Two Left Party Politicians Involved
According to reports, another local Left Party politician from Dalarna is included in the police surveillance materials regarding the voting scandal. However, none of the individuals mentioned in the investigation have been officially suspected of a crime.
The Left Party’s group leader in Borlänge, Matts Hammarqvist, previously said he barely knew the Somali individual, despite Ali being ranked number nine on the party’s national list. Now, Hammarqvist says he is completely surprised that authorities have investigated suspicions of election fraud linked to Ali.
“It comes completely out of the blue,” he says.
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According to a police report, people transported voters from marginalized areas and provided them with pre-marked ballots, Expressen reports.
“Undue influence in voting is the actual crime,” says prosecutor Oskar Edvardsson of the national unit against corruption.
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Text: Mattias Carlsson, Anna Gullberg, Daniel Olsson
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Investigation into Election Fraud in Borlänge
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Personal votes in Borlänge gave the politically unknown Left Party member Mohamed Abdukardir Ali a direct ticket to Parliament.
Now Expressen can reveal that during early voting, police were surveilling a car and several individuals with ties to Mohamed Abdukardir Ali. He also appears in the surveillance materials.
The surveillance began during early voting, after an anonymous tipoff about suspected election fraud that allegedly took place in Borlänge. The report was filed on September 1, according to Expressen’s information.
Report: Pre-marked Ballots
The suspected crime is classified as “undue influence in voting by distributing pre-marked ballots to influence the election.” The complaint says people “were given Left Party ballots with pre-marked politicians.”
For two days, police surveilled the car that, according to the report, supposedly transported eligible voters between areas of Borlänge and the early voting site in the Kupolen mall. The majority of those driven had Somali backgrounds.
According to Expressen, the police wanted to perform a search of the car, to check if it contained pre-marked ballots, but were denied by the investigator in charge.
The investigation was later discontinued due to lack of evidence, prosecutor Oskar Edvardsson of the national anti-corruption unit explains.
But on Monday, it was reopened with the same criminal classification.
The Investigation is Reopened
“The investigation was closed but has now been reopened and is ongoing,” says Oskar Edvardsson.
Is it a case of undue influence at voting by distributing pre-marked ballots?
“Undue influence in voting is the crime itself. I don’t want to go into details. But what you describe would be an act that could constitute undue influence.”
Can you say whether new police information has come in or if it came from the public?
“No, I don’t want to get into that either. No, unfortunately.”
“Out of the Blue”
No one has been formally suspected of a crime.
According to Expressen, two Left Party politicians appear in the police’s surveillance materials. In addition to Mohamed Abdukardir Ali, 30, the police also monitored another local Left Party politician from Dalarna.
Expressen has attempted to reach the Left Party in Dalarna with no result, likewise Mohamed Abdukardir Ali. The Left’s group leader in Borlänge, Matts Hammarqvist, says he was unaware of the investigation.
“It comes completely out of the blue,” he says.