Latest news with #StevanKozmevski
News.com.au
09-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Whittlesea council election in Melbourne overturned over ‘fraud' votes: VCAT
Voters will be forced to return to the polls in Melbourne's outer suburbs after a local election was voided over concerns about fraudulently completed ballots. The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal sided with the state's election commission on Thursday in overturning the Whittlesea City Council's Lalor Ward result. The VEC said staff had identified a 'high number of returns' in the Lalor Ward, of which 81 were ultimately deemed to be suspicious. The final margin between Mr Kozmevski and the runner up candidate was just 39 votes. In a statement, the VEC said it did not suggest Mr Kozmevski, or any other candidate, were involved in fraudulent activity. Stevan Kozmevski, who was declared the winner of the October 2024 vote, will removed from the office of councillor effective immediately following the ruling by VCAT. In her judgment, VCAT Vice President Judge English said she was satisfied electors were 'prevented from recording their votes effectively according to their own preference'. Supporting Victorian Electoral Commission's position, she said 'there [had] not been the free and fair opportunity of electing the candidate which the majority might prefer'. A postal by-election will be organised by the commission at 'a suitable date'. Acting Electoral Commissioner Dana Fleming said Victorians could be confident 'their vote is safe and will not be undermined by those seeking to do wrong'. '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,' she said. The VEC had earlier referred allegations to police of suspected postal vote tampering in Whittlesea and Knox City Council Baird Ward, which is yet to be decided by VCAT. In a statement, the City of Whittlesea said that it noted the results of the Tribunal and that Mr Kozmevski would be removed from the office of councillor immediately. 'Council thanks Mr Kozmevski for his service to the City of Whittlesea community over many years, across a number of Council terms,' the council said. 'Council is not responsible for holding local government elections, they are conducted by the VEC.' Mr Kozmevski was first elected to the council as an ALP-endorsed candidate in 1997, according to the council's website. He served two terms as mayor and 22 years in total on council.
ABC News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Lalor Ward residents in Whittlesea to head back to polls after council election voided
The 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. 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". The 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 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.
Sydney Morning Herald
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Vote rigging in local election voids result, as councillor vows to run again
The result of a council election in Melbourne's north has been declared void due to ballot paper rigging, which will send voters to a byelection. Veteran Labor-aligned councillor Stevan Kozmevski has lost his position on Whittlesea City Council after the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) nullified the result in the council's Lalor ward due to 'attempted and actual interference with the election'. Kozmevski was successful in October's council election with a margin of just 39 votes, but electoral officers later discovered 81 suspicious returned ballots. The interference might have affected the result, VCAT found in its judgment, handed down on Thursday. Neither VCAT nor the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) have suggested that Kozmevski was involved. The perpetrators of the vote-rigging scheme have not been found, despite a police investigation. Kozmevski said he intended to run again when a byelection is held. No date has been set. Loading 'It is disappointing to have to return to a byelection due to the behaviour of a small group. The attempted fraud by person or persons unknown on behalf of a candidate whose platform was simply anti-Labor Party is disturbing,' he said. 'Their attempt failed miserably as the preferred candidate for the fraud ran last in the ballot and the flow of preferences directed against me was not enough to change the result.' The VEC submitted that the scheme was designed to elect Nicholas Hajichristou, who ultimately polled third out of three candidates in Lalor ward.
The Age
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Vote rigging in local election voids result, as councillor vows to run again
The result of a council election in Melbourne's north has been declared void due to ballot paper rigging, which will send voters to a byelection. Veteran Labor-aligned councillor Stevan Kozmevski has lost his position on Whittlesea City Council after the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) nullified the result in the council's Lalor ward due to 'attempted and actual interference with the election'. Kozmevski was successful in October's council election with a margin of just 39 votes, but electoral officers later discovered 81 suspicious returned ballots. The interference might have affected the result, VCAT found in its judgment, handed down on Thursday. Neither VCAT nor the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) have suggested that Kozmevski was involved. The perpetrators of the vote-rigging scheme have not been found, despite a police investigation. Kozmevski said he intended to run again when a byelection is held. No date has been set. Loading 'It is disappointing to have to return to a byelection due to the behaviour of a small group. The attempted fraud by person or persons unknown on behalf of a candidate whose platform was simply anti-Labor Party is disturbing,' he said. 'Their attempt failed miserably as the preferred candidate for the fraud ran last in the ballot and the flow of preferences directed against me was not enough to change the result.' The VEC submitted that the scheme was designed to elect Nicholas Hajichristou, who ultimately polled third out of three candidates in Lalor ward.
Perth Now
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Election voided over ‘fraud' votes: court
Voters will be forced to return to the polls in Melbourne's outer suburbs after a local election was voided over concerns about fraudulently completed ballots. The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal sided with the state's election commission on Thursday in overturning the Whittlesea City Council's Lalor Ward result. The VEC said staff had identified a 'high number of returns' in the Lalor Ward, of which 81 were ultimately deemed to be suspicious. The final margin between Mr Kozmevski and the runner up candidate was just 39 votes. In a statement, the VEC said it did not suggest Mr Kozmevski, or any other candidate, were involved in fraudulent activity. Stevan Kozmevski, who was declared the winner of the October 2024 vote, will removed from the office of councillor effective immediately following the ruling by VCAT. In her judgment, VCAT Vice President Judge English said she was satisfied electors were 'prevented from recording their votes effectively according to their own preference'. Supporting Victorian Electoral Commission's position, she said 'there [had] not been the free and fair opportunity of electing the candidate which the majority might prefer'. Stevan Kozmevski was removed as Lalor Ward councillor. Credit: Supplied A postal by-election will be organised by the commission at 'a suitable date'. Acting Electoral Commissioner Dana Fleming said Victorians could be confident 'their vote is safe and will not be undermined by those seeking to do wrong'. '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,' she said. The VEC had earlier referred allegations to police of suspected postal vote tampering in Whittlesea and Knox City Council Baird Ward, which is yet to be decided by VCAT. In a statement, the City of Whittlesea said that it noted the results of the Tribunal and that Mr Kozmevski would be removed from the office of councillor immediately. 'Council thanks Mr Kozmevski for his service to the City of Whittlesea community over many years, across a number of Council terms,' the council said. 'Council is not responsible for holding local government elections, they are conducted by the VEC.' Mr Kozmevski was first elected to the council as an ALP-endorsed candidate in 1997, according to the council's website. He served two terms as mayor and 22 years in total on council.
