Probe Underway After Nearly Half the Votes at 1 Polling Booth Declared Invalid

About 50 ballots at the booth of 111 people were filled out incorrectly, and locals say AEC staff were responsible.

Volunteers hand out voting cards next to election candidate posters outside a pre-polling centre in Sydney on May 2, 2025. David Gray/AFP via Getty Images

An unusually high number of informal votes cast at a polling booth in Missabotti, southwest of Coffs Harbour, has prompted an investigation by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).

Of the 111 people who voted at the booth, 50 incorrectly completed their House of Representatives ballots, rendering nearly half the votes invalid.

Voters and local sources blame the issue on incorrect instructions allegedly given by AEC staff on election day, according to the ABC.

Missabotti falls within the federal electorate of Cowper, which featured 11 candidates on the lower house ballot.

“I can confirm that this matter is being investigated,” a spokesperson told The Epoch Times.

AEC Confirms It Won’t Impact Local Result

While acknowledging the concern, the AEC emphasised that the 50 informal votes would not change the final outcome in Cowper, which saw a winning margin of 5,397 votes.

“Any issues around formality are concerning,” the spokesperson said.

“The AEC takes ballot paper formality very seriously—our intention is always to maximise the number of voters who are able to participate in a federal election by casting a formal vote.”

The Commission added that it undertakes extensive public education ahead of elections, including guides delivered to households, advertising on how to vote formally, instructions on ballot papers, and online practice tools.

Staff at polling places are also expected to provide clear directions to voters.

However, the AEC acknowledged that if the reports from Missabotti are accurate and incorrect guidance was given, that it was “disappointing.”

Separately, the AEC is investigating another incident at the Hurstville booth in Sydney, where a staff member reportedly took nearly 2,000 ballots home by accident.

The AEC confirmed the ballots were discovered missing hours after, and that this breach did not affect the result in the seat of Barton.

Review to Improve Training

In response to the most recent incident, the AEC said it would be reviewing for the next federal poll.

“As we begin planning for the probable 2028 federal election, the AEC will seek to improve our education around providing voting instructions for polling place staff.”

The Commission also confirmed it will conduct a study of informal ballot papers from the 2025 federal election—an exercise commonly undertaken after each poll.

“The scope of this study is still being finalised, but we are hopeful that its results will help improve our voter education work for future federal elections.”