Prosecutors in Germany have launched an investigation into CSU politician Wolfgang Seifert, mayor of Wülfershausen an der Saale, accused of manipulating postal ballots during the March 8th municipal elections in Lower Franconia. Seifert has admitted to altering voting documents in several local races.
According to the Schweinfurt prosecutor’s office, Seifert is suspected of opening postal voting envelopes, falsifying ballots, and resealing them or replacing them with new envelopes. The alleged actions affected elections for the municipal council, the mayor’s office, and the district council, although the exact number of impacted votes remains unclear.
During questioning, Seifert reportedly stated that he acted in part to support his wife, who was running for a seat on the municipal council. Investigators also believe he may have attempted to secure additional votes for himself. Authorities said he had access to the election documents and took advantage of the opportunity to manipulate them.
Despite the irregularities, Seifert was confirmed in office following the vote. In the municipality, 1,278 people were eligible to vote, with the incumbent receiving 472 valid votes compared to 449 for other candidates.
Police have since searched several locations and seized documents, which are now being examined. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison.
In the March 8th elections the AfD recorded notable results in several constituencies, winning the Mannheim I district with 22.3% of first votes, ahead of the CDU’s 21.7% and the Greens’ 21.6%, while in Pforzheim it became the strongest force with 26.4% of second votes, narrowly surpassing the CDU’s 25.9%.
