Faroese village still uses 94-year-old ballot box made by local craftsman

A wooden ballot box handcrafted in 1932 remains in use today in Dalur, a village in the Faroe Islands, according to a report by Faroese broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya.

The box, built by Hanus í Malthúsi—a local blacksmith known for making traditional Faroese rívutindur (dried-fish racks)—has been used in every election since its creation, said Anfinn Johannesen, deputy chair of Dalur’s electoral board.

“The only change made to the box since 1932 is that the slot for ballots was widened,” Johannesen told KVF. The village continues the long-standing practice of using the same box, now 94 years old, for each vote.

Hanus í Malthúsi crafted the box late in life, while also producing the distinctive wooden racks used for drying fish—a common sight in the Faroe Islands.