VEC supports changes to electoral laws

THE Victorian Electoral Commission has called on the state government to introduce reforms to the state’s electoral laws suggested by a parliamentary committee.

The Electoral Matters Committee (EMC) released its final report into the conduct of the 2022 state election earlier this year, and the VEC published its response last week.

In its response, the VEC supported most of the EMC’s recommendations and agreed with its findings that change is needed to address the growing challenges facing election service delivery.

Electoral Commissioner Sven Bluemmel called for a holistic review of Victoria’s electoral laws.

“As elections become more complex, it is crucial that our legislative framework also evolves,” he said.

“A modernised system will ensure our elections continue to be free, fair, secure, and representative of all voters.

“I urge the government to adopt the recommendations from the Electoral Matters Committee and those put forward by the VEC to create a suite of reforms that will strengthen the state’s electoral system.”

Recommendations the VEC supports include:

• Changing the election timeline to alleviate pressure points and account for the growing complexity and scale of Victorian elections
• Implementing additional measures to protect the safety of all participants at election venues
• Adding safeguards to protect against misinformation and disinformation
• Taking legislative action in response to social media companies ignoring requests from the VEC to remove inaccurate material about the electoral process from their platforms
• Developing a legally enforceable code of conduct for candidates and campaigners
• Expanding the use of electronic roll mark-off across the state
• Reporting on how the VEC is responding to lessons learned about ballot paper shortages during the last election, and
• Extending access to telephone assisted voting.

Mr Bluemmel said there should also be consideration of the financial impact of introducing new activities.

“Our response also looks at the resourcing impact of the EMC’s recommendations, as elections are not immune from rising costs, and we have included a review of the budgetary impacts of each recommendation in our response.”

To read the VEC’s response to the EMC’s report on its inquiry into the conduct of the 2022 state election, head to vec.vic.gov.au/EMC-response-2022-election