The incident occurred on Sunday, April 7, in Warta Bolesławiecka. The 49-year-old became indignant and tore up two ballot papers, then threw them away. The reason? He was reminded that only one person may be present in the voting booth. (The voter was drunk; he had 0.6 per mille of alcohol in his system.)

The man was detained in connection with Article 248 of the Criminal Code. He faces up to 3 years in prison.

Article 248 of the Criminal Code:

Anyone who, in connection with elections to the Sejm, the Senate, the election of the President of the Republic of Poland, elections to the European Parliament, elections to local government bodies or a referendum:

  1. prepares a list of candidates or voters, omitting eligible persons or including ineligible persons,
  2. uses deception in order to improperly prepare a list of candidates or voters, protocols or other election or referendum documents,
  3. destroys, damages, conceals, alters or forges protocols or other election or referendum documents,
  4. commits an abuse or allows an abuse in the receiving or counting of votes,
  5. hands an unused ballot paper to another person before voting ends or obtains an unused ballot paper from another person for use in voting,
  6. commits an abuse in preparing lists bearing the signatures of citizens nominating candidates in elections or initiating a referendum

– shall be subject to imprisonment for up to 3 years.