Although what is an invalid ballot is understood in different ways in various studies, to an important extent an invalid ballot is also seen as a way of expressing voter protest. Qualitative analysis of invalid ballots at elections to the European Parliament in Slovenia reveals that voters also used them to express protest. In-depth analysis of the repertoires and narratives used shows particular distrust or dissatisfaction with the candidates on offer at the elections, and to an even greater extent anger, criticism regarding the system, politics and/or politicians and their attitudes. To a significantly smaller extent, these ballots were used to express criticism of democracy as a system. In this respect, the qualitative analysis of invalid ballots at European Parliament elections confirms several previous findings. However, certain data also point to the lack of knowledge or mistakes by voters while submitting a ballot with a more complex structure.
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