VOTERS MISTAKEN OVER FREO ELECTION CONFUSION: WAEC

WA Electoral Commission solicitors today dismissed witness statements by Fremantle voters who gave evidence they were disenfranchised when they received incorrect ballot papers in the 2023 local government election.
State solicitor Michael Olds asked the Magistrate’s Court to ignore evidence given by Helen Cox, Lina Rossi, Suzanne John and Craig Ross on behalf of former south ward councillor Marija Vujcic and Greater Fremantle Community & Business Association Inc.
He also described as ‘serious allegations’ comments by Marija Vujcic’s counsel that WAEC withheld reports copied to State Government ministers including Electoral Affairs Minister John Quigley.
Referring to “unimpressive” evidence given by WAEC director election operations Shani Wood, Glen Cridland told Magistrate Trevor Darge that Ms Wood had revealed on Wednesday there were, “two reports as well as reports given to ministers in respect of this election and what happened”.
He said: “You ordered in February that the statements of intended evidence of a witness must attach copies of any reports and she admitted she knew about that and that the reports had not been attached. Now that’s clearly an admission that she knew she was ordered to provide that material and had chosen not to do it.”
Reason? “None of that material assists the Electoral Commissioner’s position. It is a blatant wilful disregard of your order.”
Magistrate Trevor Darge said it was not his role to punish the Electoral Commissioner: “There is no point saying this was good, bad or indifferent in terms of what they (electoral officers) said about what they did. It’s a simple question about what was the message communicated to them (voters) and what was the affect.”
Mr Olds asked Magistrate Darge to disregard the witness complaints because there was no evidence they were disenfranchised and confused after WAEC alerted the public about the error and how it would be remedied.
“His honour should not accept any of the evidence Beaconsfield resident Ms Cox gave in relation to only having one type of vote to having been sent multiple incorrect ballot packages and declaration packages,” he said, referring to a double up of coastal and central ward ballots Ms Cox received in the first and second rounds.
Ms Cox on Wednesday showed the court photographs of the two incorrect coastal ward ballot papers and two declaration envelopes she received both times from WAEC. She never voted in coastal and said the signature and handwriting on the declaration slip in the first mail out were forged. The document has central ward crossed out and underneath coastal ward in writing she claimed was not hers.
Mr Olds said she was mistaken.
Magistrate Darge’s decision whether to declare the 2023 election invalid is expected next month.