Barcode scan error blamed for Bendigo council election voter confusion

A Victorian Electoral Commission (Australia) investigation has found the incorrect scanning of voting envelope barcodes caused 950 Bendigo council election voters to be sent 'apparent failure to vote' notices in error. Acting electoral commissioner Liz Williams said the 950 Greater Bendigo voters identified who had received an ‘apparent failure to vote’ notice in error could be confident their votes were counted.
“These returned envelopes were received, but the envelope barcode was not correctly scanned as having been returned,” she said. ''Once affected voters made contact, the origin of the error was able to be identified.''