A court in the Faroe Islands has acquitted a man accused of election fraud linked to the 2024 municipal elections. The defendant, who served as the chairman of the election board in a village in Runavik Municipality, faced allegations of tampering with a ballot. Specifically, he was accused of making an unauthorized mark on a ballot that was later deemed invalid during the recount process.

The prosecution argued that the defendant had marked the ballot between the election night on November 12 and the next morning when he took the ballots home. However, the defense contended that there was no conclusive evidence to prove that the chairman had altered the ballot, advocating that doubts should benefit the accused. This argument resonated with the jury, consisting of a legal judge and two lay judges, leading to a two-to-one acquittal decision.

The invalid ballot in question had significant implications for the election results in Runavik Municipality, indicating the importance of election integrity in local governance. This case highlights the judicial approach to election disputes in the Faroe Islands, reflecting a commitment to due process, even in cases that could potentially affect municipal leadership and public trust in electoral systems.