De Santis demands court recount Ripon

Achallenge of the razor-thin result of November’s State Election in Ripon by the Victorian Labor Party is in the hands of the Supreme Court of Victoria.

Labor candidate Sarah De Santis has filed a petition with the Supreme Court demanding a recount of votes cast in Ripon.

The court acts as Victoria’s Court of Disputed Returns.

Labor filed the petition only one day before the court’s 40-day post-election deadline to appeal.

It calls on the court to order another recount of Ripon votes.

Incumbent Liberal Louise Staley officially returned as Member for Ripon after weeks of vote counting by the Victorian Electoral Commission, VEC, in December.

Ms De Santis was initially declared the winner by 31 votes, but Ms Staley requested a recount that ultimately put her 15 votes ahead.

It was one of the narrowest election results in Victorian history.

Ripon was a key battleground for both major parties in the election as one of the most marginal seats in the state.

The Labor and Liberal parties both made significant funding announcements in the area in the lead-up to the election.

The Victorian Labor Party immediately raised concerns about the validity of the VEC recount that returned Ms Staley when the result was announced in December.

“The Labor party holds concerns that a formal recount was not performed,” Labor assistant state secretary Kosmos Samaras said.

“We are looking for a formal recount from start to finish.”

Labor state secretary Samuel Rae confirmed in a brief statement on Friday the party had lodged a petition of appeal.

“This petition seeks the court to order a recount of the Ripon ballot from the 2018 Victorian Election,” he said.

“Victorian Labor is committed to preserving the certainty and clarity of the electoral process and considers this action a necessary step to ensure this is achieved.”

“Victorian Labor is committed to preserving the certainty and clarity of the electoral process and considers this action a necessary step to ensure this is achieved” – Samuel Rae

The Supreme Court of Victoria website has yet to list a date for the appeal, and Labor refused to speculate on a timeline for the process.

When the court rules on Labor’s appeal the decision will be final.

Ms Staley’s win was considered one of the few bright spots for the Liberal party amid a landslide election loss.

A recount could jeopardise her seat in the Victorian Legislative Assembly and her place as shadow treasurer.

Opposition leader Michael O’brien appointed Ms Staley to the shadow cabinet in December.

Election voting details showed Ms Staley had 38.93 percent of first-preference votes, ahead of Ms De Santis, 38.15.

After distribution of preferences, Ms Staley had 20,035 votes, or 50.02 percent, and Ms De Santis, 20,020, or 49.98 percent.