Labor loss was on the cards

LABOR Party ‘how to vote’ cards were absent at the Pakenham Uniting Church early voting polling booths on Friday.
Two very concerned residents contacted the Gazette after placing their vote.
Kelly Chapman said when she and her mother arrived there were Greens and Liberal Party representatives handing out ‘how to vote’ cards, but no-one was handing out ones for the Labor Party.
“I thought it was very unfair to those who wanted to vote Labor,” Ms Chapman said.
“I said to my mum that it wasn’t good enough, and the ladies at the polling booth didn’t seem to care.”
After placing her vote, Ms Chapman contacted the party’s head office to make a complaint, but said it should not be up to members of the public.
“She told me that they should have been notified,” Ms Chapman said.
“And that they would send someone straight away, but 60 people had already voted – in a marginal seat that could make all the difference.”
Pakenham’s Carol Connors said it was very unusual that all parties were not represented.
“In the end, Russell Broadbent romped it in, but if it was close, it could have impacted on the vote.”
The Australian Electoral Commission said it was up to each party to make sure they had representatives at polling booths, and that it had nothing to do with the AEC.