The WA Electoral Commission has identified an error in the mail distribution of postal ballot paper packages within the City of Fremantle, with two wards affected. Ballot papers for the wrong ward have been included in some packages.
This has impacted just over 12,000 electors in the City of Fremantle’s Central and Coastal Wards.
The WA Electoral Commission has arranged for ballot papers to be re-issued to the electors in both impacted Wards. New postal packages will be delivered by Australia Post to electors commencing Monday, 2 October.
Electors in the Central and Coastal Wards should ignore any ballot papers received to date.
Electors in receipt of incorrect postal packages should destroy them and await their new postal package.
They should then ensure they complete and return their new ballot papers.
Ballots received from electors that have mistakenly completed incorrect papers will be identified by the Electoral Commission’s election management system and will not be counted.
The Commission apologises for this error and the inconvenience it has caused to the electors of Fremantle’s Central and Coastal Wards. There are still three weeks for electors to complete their ballot papers and return them.
Update: City of Fremantle - East and North Ward not affected
The Commission has received reports that ballot papers from East Ward in the City of Fremantle have been sent to electors who should not have received them. Those reports have been investigated and found to be false. The Commission has checked the other two wards (East and North) and no incorrect ballot papers have been sent to electors in those two wards. Any elector who believes they are in receipt of incorrect ballot papers should contact the Commission using feedback@waec.wa.gov.au or by calling 1300 661 136.