Cost, rort fears ‘over council vote day bid’

JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
The region’s council elections face increased costs, reduced voter participation and potential fraud under plans to bring forward elections, according to Victorian Electoral Commission.
Candidates for an elected mayor in Geelong would also have to start their campaigns earlier, clashing with school holidays and major events.
Geelong Mayor John Mitchell said City Hall wanted to retain the existing election date in late November.
“We’ll work within the confines of the rules but this indicates the difficulty when making policy on the run,” he said.
Municipal Association of Victoria president Bill McArthur said MAV lobbied State Government to bring election dates forward to the second week in October so new councils could start planning and budgeting before the Christmas break.
But a VEC report for MAV warned that October elections would clash with school holidays, the AFL grand final, Melbourne’s show and Victoria’s spring racing carnival.
The dates would also clash with Geelong’s show and racing cup.
The VEC report said delivering postal ballots to homes unoccupied during school holidays could raise allegations of electoral fraud because ballot papers would not be secure in mailboxes.
Extending the election period beyond school holidays would increase promotional costs for councils, the report said.
After receiving the VEC report MAV said bringing forward municipal elections from late November to mid October would be “detrimental”.
MAV said it sought “urgent” feedback from councils on election date change.
Twenty-six councils supported elections on the fourth Saturday in October, 15 wanted no change and 13 backed the second Saturday in October, MAV said.
The organisation then wrote to the Local Government Minister recommending the fourth Saturday in October for council elections.
“(This) will reduce the impacts on both council costs and community participation,” MAV said.
Mr McArthur said the new proposed date sought to minimise clashes with federal elections.
“It will still achieve the aim of giving new councillors more time (but) the system will never be perfect.”
A Golden Plains Shire spokesperson said its first preference was the second week in October.