The 2024 council election result for Lalor Ward in the City of Whittlesea has been declared void following a ruling by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). The decision comes amid growing concerns of fraud tied to suspiciously completed ballots and will trigger a fresh vote for residents in the ward.
VCAT Vice President Judge English, in her ruling, backed the Victorian Electoral Commission’s findings that voters were unable to effectively cast their ballots in line with their preferences. “I am satisfied the electors were proven to have been prevented from recording their votes effectively according to their own preference,” she said.
The VEC flagged concerns after detecting an unusually high number of multiple returns in the postal vote. A total of 81 ballot packs were identified as suspicious in the Lalor Ward election. Despite this, the law required the VEC to proceed with the count and declare the outcome. The final margin between the top two candidates was just 39 votes.
Acting Electoral Commissioner Dana Fleming welcomed the decision, saying it reinforced the strength of the system. “To those who seek to subvert our electoral processes, there will be consequences to your actions. We will detect your efforts, and we will act.”
Fleming praised the work of VEC staff in identifying the issue early and supporting the tribunal inquiry. She confirmed that the agency will now work to organise a postal by-election for the ward. The person previously elected, Stevan Kozmevski, has now vacated the role. There is no suggestion that he or any other candidate was responsible for the fraudulent ballots.
“This has demonstrated that our processes to protect democracy work and uphold electoral integrity. Victorians can be confident that their vote is safe and will not be undermined by those seeking to do wrong,” she added.
The VEC will soon announce a timeline for the by-election and assist candidates with the nomination process. Voters will be informed of the new arrangements as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, a separate matter concerning alleged ballot fraud in Knox City Council’s Baird Ward remains under review by VCAT.
The VEC has referred the Lalor Ward case to both the Local Government Inspectorate and Victoria Police. It has declined to comment on any ongoing investigations.
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