Lord Mayor candidate calls for review as postal doubts cloud by-election result

THERE is a call an for overhaul of Melbourne’s voting system amid fears some electors might not have been able to vote at all.

CONCERNS over how postal ballots were mailed to nonresident voters in the Melbourne Lord Mayor by-election in May has prompted defeated candidate Jennifer Yang to call for an overhaul of the city’s electoral system.

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More than 8000 ballot packs were sent to electors — who don’t live in the municipality — not to their home address but via real estate agents, lawyers or building managers.

The process has raised fears that voters either did not receive their ballot papers or did not have enough time to return them.

Jennifer Yang was runner-up in May’s Melbourne by-election. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Ballot packs were posted out from April 23 to be returned by May 11 — a maximum of 15 business days.

Sally Capp was elected Lord Mayor from a field of 14 candidates, defeating Ms Yang by 4666 votes, or 53 per cent to 47 per cent, after preferences.

Sally Capp secured 53.05 per cent of the votes in the by-election after preferences. Pic: AAP

Ms Yang is not going to appeal the result, but her campaign spokesman Steve Michelson said although Ms Yang respected the decision of voters, she believed the voting system needed examination.

“It’s now up to Sally Capp to explain why voters were disenfranchised and what is going to be done to ensure residents and businesses can cast their vote at the next election,” he said.

The council election permits non-resident property owners, often overseas investors, to vote in the postal election.

The City of Melbourne supplies non-resident address information to the Victorian Electoral Commission for the roll. Often these addresses are third parties such as estate agents or property managers.

Melbourne Greens councillor Rohan Leppert. Picture: Jay Town

The VEC told CBD News that the state government had been advised there was insufficient time for international voters to get ballots back.

It’s understood the State Government believed the election was conducted in accordance with electoral regulations.

A spokesman for Local Government Minister Marlene Kairouz said council elections were overseen by the VEC and were widely advertised.

“Residents and ratepayers need to ensure that if they’re enrolled to vote, that they make every effort to do so,” he said.

Greens councillor Rohan Leppert, who also ran for Town Hall’s top job, said the main problem was the thousands of ballot papers sent to property management companies, which the government trusted the ballot papers would be forwarded to the voters.

“The system creates a heightened risk of fraud, as has been obvious to government ever since it created it,’’ Cr Leppert said.

“We wouldn’t have this problem if the state Labor government wasn’t so obsessed with enfranchising property ownership and wealth over residency to such an extreme extent.’’

Cr Capp is on leave and could not comment.

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@IanRoyall