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AEC Probes Misplaced Ballot Container Found at Worker’s Home

The Australian Electoral Commission confirms all ballots were secure and accounted for as it investigates procedural lapses in ballot transport and tracking.

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 03: A person casts their vote at the Clovelly Surf Life Saving Club polling booth on May 03, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. Australians headed to the polls on Saturday for the 2025 federal election, where all 150 seats in the House of Representatives and 40 of 76 Senate seats are up for grabs. This election is especially consequential due to a tightly contested race, with cost-of-living pressures, affordable housing, and energy policy dominating the campaign. Though most polls indicate a narrow Labor victory against the Liberal-National coalition, the result could also lead to a hung parliament, reflecting the growing influence of independents and minor parties, and potentially reshaping the balance of power in Australia in the years ahead. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)
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Voting centre street signage, unidentified location.

Overview

  • A secure ballot container with 1,866 votes went missing on election night and was later recovered intact from a temporary worker's home in Sydney.
  • The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) confirmed the ballots were securely packaged, with unbroken seals, and the election result in Barton was unaffected.
  • The incident was detected during a routine recount, highlighting a failure in the AEC’s transport and tracking processes for ballot materials.
  • Labor’s Ash Ambihaipahar won the Barton seat decisively, with over 60% of the two-party-preferred vote, ensuring the outcome was not impacted.
  • The AEC has launched an internal investigation into the procedural breakdown and is reviewing communication and transport protocols to prevent future errors.