How secure is the postal vote? Independent observations on ballot journey and integrity measures at the 2024 Victorian local elections

This paper reports on an observational study conducted at the Victorian Electoral Commission in 2024. It was conceived in response to claims that (a) postal voting is less secure than other voting channels and (b) Australian election officials mishandle or interfere with ballots. We sought to independently observe and analyse the ‘ballot paper journey’ and the security measures in place at one all-postal Australian election: the 2024 Victorian local government elections. By directly observing activities in election offices and central processing venues, the study traces, in detail, the path of ballot papers from receipt and sorting through extraction, counting, reconciliation and final storage. It also documents key safeguards, including chain-of-custody procedures, signature checks and count-integrity controls, and how suspected fraud cases were detected and managed. We conclude that current integrity protocols are robust. Nevertheless, we offer recommendations for enhancements to electoral integrity and perceptions of electoral integrity.