A Kāinga Ora complex at the end of Beaumonts Way had 13 votes recorded from 17 units. That put voter turnout in the state houses on a par with some of Manurewa’s wealthiest areas.
However, when the Herald visited residents last week, none recalled receiving ballot papers or voting.
A whistleblower says scores of ballot papers were stolen from letterboxes in a bid to rig the Manurewa Local Board election. Photos showing bundles of allegedly stolen voting papers have been sent to police.
Longtime Beaumonts Way resident Rachel Snowden said she was “adamant” about the importance of voting, even volunteering in past general elections.
When she didn’t receive her postal ballot papers last year she requested new ones. She said she was “p****d” when the papers eventually arrived after polling day, but didn’t complain, believing it wouldn’t make a difference.
Snowden was shocked – then angry – when the Herald told her someone had voted in her name, as well as the name of a previous tenant and those of her current and former neighbours.
“I’m gutted, but I’m not surprised,” Snowden said. She believed vote thieves would have targeted her area assuming she and her neighbours wouldn’t vote, or notice ballot papers were missing.
“It’s so wrong, but of course it’s clever … it’s very strategic.”
Beaumonts Way resident Rachel Snowden was shocked and angry to learn from the Herald that someone had stolen her vote. Photo / Dubby Henry
Snowden said having her vote stolen left her feeling powerless and devalued.
People in “the minority” – such as those with lower pay or less education – often suspected there was corruption in places of power, she said.
“But we doubt ourselves about it because our tiny little voices never really matter – it never really amounts to anything because nothing really changes.”
Snowden has lived at the unit for 10 years, but records show a vote was also recorded at that address last year in the name of a man she believed was the previous tenant.
Four more votes, with names matching previous tenants, were recorded at the house next door.
The woman currently living there said she had no interest in politics and wasn’t registered to vote. She often received mail for the previous tenants but did not recall getting their voting papers.
Another resident in the complex, Jacqui, had only recently begun voting in national elections and had never voted for local government. Despite not receiving her ballot papers last year, she was recorded as voting.
It’s claimed the photos depict voting papers for the Manurewa Local Board election which were stolen from letterboxes.
Five votes were recorded at another unit, but a resident – who asked not to be named for fear of a social media backlash – said no voting papers had been received by her or her three sisters. The fifth vote had been cast in the name of her mother, who died in 2022.
The list of names and addresses was obtained by Manurewa Local Board member Joseph Allan from Election Services – which oversaw the 2025 election. The document was then shared with the Herald by former local board member Toa Greening.
An analysis by Greening found many Manurewa streets appeared to have unusually high voter turnout.
The state housing block in Beaumonts Way was one of several similar addresses that raised red flags over the number of votes cast from adjacent homes, suggesting someone had quickly grabbed all the ballot papers from a row of letterboxes, according to Greening.
A former candidate fears thieves stole ballots from Manurewa letterboxes, like these ones on Beaumonts Way.
Greening ran unsuccessfully in last year’s election under the #LoveManurewa political ticket, which managed to get just one candidate elected – former board chair Allan.
Both men raised concerns last year with Election Services principal electoral officer Dale Ofsoske about anomalies and unusual voter turnout patterns.
Another street apparently targeted was Kirton Crescent in Leabank. One woman was recorded as voting last year despite two sources telling the Herald she had abandoned the rental property around 2012 and was now believed to be living in Australia.
Crucially, that woman’s name and address were visible in photos supplied by a whistleblower showing a bundle of allegedly stolen ballot papers.
A second envelope addressed to a voter enrolled on Kirton Crescent was also visible. She and her mother were listed as voting, but they no longer live at the address and could not be contacted last week.
The Herald also identified two men who had left an elderly housing village on Kirton Crescent earlier in 2025, but votes were still recorded in their names at the address.
The Serious Fraud Office has been alerted but police are the lead agency investigating the allegations. They said yesterday the inquiry was continuing with no updates available.
Ofsoske said his company had “some contact” with police over the voter fraud allegations, but he could not comment further while the matter was under investigation.
Pushed on how concerned he was by the Herald’s findings, he said it was up to police “to ascertain whether any fraudulent activity has occurred or not”.
Auckland Council CEO Phil Wilson says the vote-rigging allegations risked undermining public confidence in the democratic process. Photo / Corey Fleming
Auckland Council chief executive Phil Wilson said officials were aware of the allegations.
“What is needed is clear evidence – this can be provided to myself to pass on, or directly to the police.”
The council had forwarded information about “inappropriate voter behaviour” to police investigators and was awaiting updates.
“We are also carrying out a review of the information that the council holds on this matter.”
Last month, the Herald revealed allegations that teams of people stole ballot papers from letterboxes at night, opened them, ticked them with certain candidates’ names, then resealed them and returned the papers to the electoral officer.
Photos emerged purportedly showing bundles of allegedly stolen voting papers being processed at a Manurewa office.
Wilson has now appointed two independent observers to the Manurewa board after conceding some sitting members may have secured their seats by cheating.
He welcomed the police investigation and urged investigators to determine if the election was rigged and whether criminal offending has occurred.
Lane Nichols is Auckland Desk Editor and a senior journalist for the New Zealand Herald with more than 20 years’ experience in the industry.
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