Democracy on Ice? Snow Country Residents Speak on February Election Challenges

Too many negative factors in Akita

The House of Representatives election will be held on February 8. The dissolution of the lower house at the start of an ordinary Diet session is the first in 60 years, and this election will take place over the shortest postwar period of just 16 days. Additionally, a lower house election held in February is the first in 36 years, since 1990.

Regarding this election, public criticism has been widespread, with comments such as, “The 85.5 billion yen spent on the election could have been used elsewhere,” and “This election exists only to increase the Liberal Democratic Party’s seats.” One specific concern raised is the difficulty of conducting an election during winter in snowy regions. There are voices suggesting that this creates a disparity compared to other regions.

In areas with heavy snowfall, even going to vote is difficult for citizens. It is also challenging for politicians to conduct adequate campaigning. In that sense, one might question whether the February lower house election is truly being conducted equally for all voters and candidates.

At the campaign office of a candidate in Akita Prefecture, staff spoke about the difficulties. They said they want to believe it is fair, but admitted that there are far too many negative factors.

“First, there are places where putting up election posters is extremely difficult. The city election commission clears snow and sets up the bulletin boards, but there are limits to snow removal, so the number of usable boards is very small. For street speeches, the sound from speakers is absorbed by the snow, so it doesn’t carry well. This makes it hard to reach our supporters.

The places for speeches are also limited. Locations that could be used in the past often become unusable because the cleared snow piles along the roads leave barely enough space for cars to pass. This forces us to significantly revise our campaign plans. Snow can turn a trip that normally takes one hour into more than two hours.”

There are also concerns about voter turnout. Although measures are being considered, there is little that can be done.

“We hear from elderly people, ‘It’s too cold, I don’t want to go outside.’ Public transportation may be delayed or canceled, and some people simply do not want to drive in snowy conditions. Even in rain, voter turnout decreases, so snowfall is likely to reduce turnout even further.”

Aomori: 621 designated poster sites reduced to 97

In Aomori Prefecture, the negative effects of heavy snowfall are also significant, and according to election office staff in the prefecture, abnormal situations have occurred.

“In some areas of Aomori, the bulletin boards that are normally set up at 621 locations have been reduced to just 97 this time. We were told by contractors that it is extremely difficult to clear snow while setting up the boards. For street speeches, the large piles of snow along the roads make it impossible to speak on the sidewalks without obstructing traffic. As a result, speeches have to be scaled back.”

In Aomori as well, candidate campaigns are concerned about voter turnout. Beyond that, questions have arisen about whether fairness is being maintained.

“In midwinter, negative factors such as poor road conditions and traffic jams occur everywhere, making it difficult for people to get to the polls. While the conditions are the same for all candidates, I believe this has a considerable impact on voters’ rights and participation. There is no doubt that disparities exist in how the election is conducted.”

In addition, in the heavy snowfall areas of Fukushima Prefecture, measures are taken such as delaying the start of voting by one to two hours when snow removal is not completed or staff cannot arrive on time, or moving particularly snow-covered polling stations to nearby districts. These factors are also expected to clearly affect voter turnout.

Issues that need verification

Regarding regional disparities in winter elections, lawyer Satoshi Ōshiro commented: “It’s not yet clear whether voter turnout will be affected, but it is worth questioning whether the election schedule allows for a truly fair vote.”

“At this stage, we cannot categorically say that voting rights are being violated. However, after the election, it will be important to examine what kinds of restrictions affected campaigning in snowy regions and compare turnout with past House of Representatives elections.

Popular sovereignty is a principle enshrined in the preamble of the Constitution. Electing members of the Diet is a highly important right guaranteed by the Constitution. If there are regions where voting is made difficult due to the season or weather, the election should be scheduled with these factors in mind.”

Regarding disparities in voter turnout by region, some see this as depriving citizens of the opportunity to vote.

“Points that need verification also include the shortness of the election period and the reduction in actions that provide citizens with judgment materials. Citizens, as sovereigns, need sufficient information to make informed decisions. Without adequate information, they are effectively deprived of the opportunity to choose whom to vote for. It is a fact that the short election period and the impact of snow create regional disparities. The absence of designated poster boards in particular is a serious problem.”

This winter’s ultra-short election campaign has clearly hindered electoral activities and voting in regions with heavy snowfall, creating disparities with areas that did not face such obstacles. A fair election is desirable to ensure that the outcome is beyond dispute.

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