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From India to the world: There is such a scientific secret behind the surprising invention of electoral ink!
Electoral ink, also known as permanent ink or electronic ticket ink, is a semi-permanent ink that is mainly used to mark voters' index fingers when voting to prevent electoral fraud such as double voting. This technique is a very effective method for countries where documentation of citizenship is not standardized or institutionalized. Election ink was first used in India's general elections in 1962. It was developed by the Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial Research National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) and produced by Mysore Paints and Varnishes Ltd. It is now exported to More than 30 countries around the world.
The main ingredient in election ink is silver nitrate, which produces a lasting mark within weeks.
Application
Electoral ink is a practical security mark designed to prevent double voting in elections. It is usually applied on the thumb of the left hand, usually covering the nails and fingertips in a straight line, especially around the edges of the nails, which is almost impossible to remove quickly. In some countries, such as Sri Lanka, ink is applied to the little finger of the left hand. The latest ink application methods vary depending on circumstances and preferences, including sponge bottle soaking, brush bottles, spray bottles and markers.
Ingredients
Electoral inks often contain a pigment for immediate identification, and the silver nitrate that comes in contact with UV light leaves a mark on the skin that cannot be easily cleaned and will only fade away as outer skin cells are replaced. Industry-standard election inks typically contain 10%, 14% or 18% silver nitrate solutions, depending on the visibility needs of the mark. While typically water-based, election inks sometimes contain solvents such as alcohol to speed drying, primarily in the case of soaking bottles, to prevent the spread of bacteria between voters.
The properties of election ink are such that marks typically last 72 to 96 hours on skin, while imprints on nails and nail edges last 2 to 4 weeks.
Long-term effectiveness
Election ink generally lasts 72 to 96 hours on the skin and can last 2 to 4 weeks around the nails. Marks, especially on the edges of the nails, will disappear as new nails grow. The process of replacing old nails can take up to four months. Concentrations of silver nitrate above 18% have no additional benefit on the durability of the mark because silver nitrate does not photosensitize living skin cells, meaning the mark will fade as new skin grows.
Traditional election ink is purple, but in the 2005 Suriname legislative elections, orange replaced purple, and the effect was long-lasting and more popular among voters.
Efficiency
Currently, markers are used most efficiently, with a 5ml marker capable of inking 600 voters, but infusion bottles are still preferred, although the 100ml bottle can only mark 1,000 people. While soaking bottles leave a larger and slightly more permanent mark, marker pens are less expensive and easy to carry, significantly reducing costs for election sponsors. For markings that only last 3 to 5 days, marker pens are the recommended choice.
Controversy
Peru's Shining Path armed guerrillas have repeatedly threatened to kill those with permanent ink marks on their fingers to prevent them from participating in elections. In the 2004 Afghan presidential election, allegations of fraud emerged regarding permanent ink marks, which many claimed could be easily washed away. Election officials opted to use more efficient markers, but regular markers were also handed out at some polling stations, leading to confusion and some voters marking with less permanent ink. In the 2008 Malaysian general election, electoral authorities removed the use of electoral ink a week before the vote, arguing that it was unconstitutional to ban people from voting even if their fingers were inked. Additionally, they cited reports of ink being smuggled in from neighboring Thailand to mark voters' fingers before they cast their ballots, thereby denying them the right to vote. Attacks by government-backed thugs on people unwilling to vote were so severe that in the 2013 Malaysian election, voters reported that the ink could be easily washed away under running water, contrary to previous assurances by the Malaysian Election Commission. .
International Usage
Electoral ink has been used at some point in several countries around the world, including Afghanistan (until 2021), Albania, Algeria, Bahamas, Cambodia, Chile (until 2012), Dominica, Egypt, Guatema Latin America, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru (until 2011), Philippines, Saint Kitts and Nevis , Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey (until 2009), Venezuela (until 2017), Zimbabwe and other countries.
The use of electoral ink has played a key role in the electoral process of many countries, but the controversies and challenges that have followed are thought-provoking. In this rapidly changing technological era, where will the future electoral practice go?
