Lalor Ward residents in Whittlesea to head back to polls after council election voidedBy Tania LeeTopic:Electoral Fraud53m ago53 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 5:38amResidents in Lalor Ward in the City of Whittlesea will be forced to vote in a by-election after last year's election results were voided. (Victorian Electoral Commission)In short: VCAT has voided Lalor Ward’s 2024 local council election result due to suspected fraud.Electoral staff were able to detect a high number of multiple returns, where more than one postal ballot pack was returned from a single voter.What's next? The Victorian Electoral Commission will set a date to conduct a postal by-election for Lalor Ward for voters to return to the polls. abc.net.au/news/melbourne-whittlesea-council-election-voided-suspected-fraud/105274834Link copiedShareShare articleThe result of a local council election in Melbourne's north has been voided, after a high number of duplicate votes were detected from mailed ballot packs.Residents in Whittlesea City Council's Lalor Ward will be forced to vote in another by-election following the decision from the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). Only 39 votes separated winning councillor Stevan Kozmevski from runner-up Ellen McNaught.It's been reported the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) was able to detect 81 suspicious votes following the close of voting on October 25 last year. The VEC says it detected cases where more than one postal ballot pack was returned from a single voter. (Victorian Electoral Commission )By law, the VEC was required to complete the counting and declare the result of that election.In handing down the decision, VCAT vice president Judge Caitlin English said "there [had] not been the free and fair opportunity of electing the candidate which the majority might prefer".Councillor role to remain vacant until fresh by-electionThe declaration means Mr Kozmevski no longer holds office and the VEC will need to organise a date for a re-vote.In its statement, the VEC said it did not suggest Mr Kozmevski, or any other candidate, was involved in the fraud."We will inform the community about the arrangements for the by-election as soon as they are agreed and work closely with prospective candidates to let them know what they need to do to nominate," Acting Electoral Commissioner Dana Fleming said.The VEC says it did not suggest that Stevan Kozmevski, the winner of last year's council election, was involved in the fraud. (Supplied: City of Whittlesea)The matter has now been referred to the Local Government Inspectorate and police."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," Ms Fleming said.In 2020, an unusual number of electors in the Merri-bek local government area — then known as Moreland — contacted the VEC to complain they had not received their ballots.It was discovered there were 23 duplicate votes, leading to a police and electoral commission investigation that discovered the original ballot papers had been stolen.Former councillor Milad El-Halabi pleaded guilty to vote tampering, and was handed a $20,000 fine and 18-month community work order in June this year.Under the Local Government Act 2020, interfering with postal ballot materials carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison or 600 penalty units — which currently equates to a fine of just over $118,000.A separate investigation into suspicious returns in Knox City Council's Baird Ward is ongoing.Posted 53m ago53 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 5:38am, updated 51m ago51 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 5:41amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesNationals leader faces Canavan challenge as Taylor confirms he'll contest Liberal leadershipLIVEPhoto shows Matt Canavan, in side profile, grimaces slightly during a press conferenceAustralia's political conclave theatrics feel blokey, but the future is femaleAAnalysis by Annabel CrabbPhoto shows Sussan LeyErin Patterson was building Lego hours after serving deadly meal, court hearsTopic:CourtsPhoto shows A close up photo of Erin Patterson looking over her shoulder wearing glases.China criticises Australia over joint exercises in South China SeaTopic:Defence and National SecurityPhoto shows A Philippine Navy AW159 helicopter with the the HMAS Sydney in the background. 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