Lord mayoral candidates forced into embarrassing backdown after voting blunder

Two of the leading contenders in the lord mayoral race have been forced into an embarrassing backdown after issuing incorrect how-to-vote advice on their election material.

Two of the leading contenders in Melbourne’s lord mayoral race have been forced into an embarrassing backdown after their election material was found to have contained incorrect how-to-vote advice.

Social media posts from former deputy lord mayor Arron Wood suggested that voters should vote above and below the line on the councillor ballot paper.

And Carlton champion Anthony Koutoufides’s flyers indicated that people only needed to fill out four boxes to vote for his councillor team.

The incorrect advice on the bottom right of the Team Wood election material.

The bungles have forced the red-faced teams to yank the information from their campaign.

Team Wood has deleted the post from its social media platforms and posted an updated version, while Team Kouta has had to bin the wrong flyer and order a costly reprint of thousands of new leaflets.

Team Kouta has had to bin the wrong flyer. Picture: Wayne Taylor

A Team Kouta spokesman said the error was identified earlier this week.

“We have rectified and have printed new how to vote cards, which we are distributing now,” he said.

“We encourage everyone planning to vote for Team Kouta to follow the Victorian Electoral Commission instructions in your ballot pack for voting above the line.”

A Team Wood spokesman said: “There was an error in our social media graphics, but that has now been fixed.”

The Team Kouta election material with incorrect advice.

The gaffe could harm the candidates’ own prospects because people wanting to vote for their councillor team could cast an invalid ballot paper if they follow the wrong advice.

A Victorian Electoral Commission spokesman said any evidence of electoral material considered to be “misleading and deceptive” under the Local Government Act 2020 should be reported to the Local Government Inspectorate.

“We strongly encourage voters in Melbourne City Council to follow the voting instructions in their ballot packs to ensure they cast a formal vote,” the spokesman said.

“We also strongly encourage candidates to ensure that material they produce includes accurate instructions on how to cast a formal vote.”

Arron Wood with his running mate Erin Deering.

One election observer said the teams had made a “rookie error”.

“In a close poll, these errors cost money and could cost them the election,” they said.

The VEC said City of Melbourne electors can vote above the line on the larger, councillor ballot paper by placing a ‘1’ next to their preferred group and leaving the rest blank.

To vote below the line, they have to number every box next to individual candidates in their order of choice.

The ballot paper for the lord mayor and deputy is on a separate form. On that ballot paper, voters have to number all the boxes from 1 to 11 in order of their choice.