NSW election 2023: Police on watch at Maitland pre-poll after alleged volunteer harassment
Police were called into a Hunter polling station after an alleged incident of harassment where a volunteer accused workers of stealing ballot boxes. Watch the video.
Newcastle
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Police were on watch at a Maitland polling station on Friday after an alleged incident of harassment earlier in the week where a volunteer accused booth workers of stealing ballot boxes.
On Wednesday, at the Church of Christ, East Maitland, videos were posted online of pre-poll workers being accused of “stealing ballot boxes and votes”.
“Why are you taking ballot papers away,” the woman filming shouted at the pre-poll worker.
“You don’t take ballot boxes away – that’s illegal!”
It is not illegal for pre-poll ballot boxes to be moved from a polling booth. According to the NSW Electoral Commission website, “it is usual practice for full ballot boxes to be moved during the early voting period to the election manager’s office for safe storage”.
There is no suggestion of wrongdoing whatsoever.
NewsLocal understands the video, circulated on social media platform TikTok, was filmed by a booth volunteer for Group U, part of the Australia One Group, Riccardo Bosi’s political organisation.
“This is nice and dicey isn’t it,” the woman said, while filming the booth worker’s number plate.
After being told to stop filming, the alleged filmer said boxes “don’t leave”.
“How corrupt is this,” she said.
As a result of the incident, the NSWEC launched an investigation and, sources told NewsLocal, heightened security at three Maitland polling stations, including Church of Christ.
A NSW Police car and officers were also on site at Church of Christ polling station on the Friday to watch over proceedings amid “concerns” and an “anticipation” of what could happen, NewsLocal understands.
The NSWEC declined to comment on the incident.
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