How a Handwritten Note Gave Erdogan an Uncheckable Election Win
- Standard counting process was changed after balloting ended
- Widespread irregularities also reported in Kurdish regions
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Turkey’s referendum on presidential powers had just finished. Counting was under way. Then, supervisors at more than 167,000 polling stations received an unprecedented order from election central in Ankara.
They were told to count every ballot, even the ones without an official stamp to verify their authenticity. It was a clear departure from election rules. And it means that the allegations of fraud that have echoed around the country since the April 16 vote, one of the most momentous in Turkey’s history, can probably never be set to rest.