iVote failure to cost $500,000 for Singleton, Kempsey, Shellharbour elections, councils seek compensation

NSW council elections were held in December 2021, but the corresponding iVote system failed. (ABC South East NSW: Adriane Reardon)

The New South Wales government says it will cost around $500,000 to pay for fresh council elections after an online voting failure that will force tens of thousands of people back to the polls.   

Singleton, Kempsey and Shellharbour Ward A are still waiting for a date to be set for their renewed elections, after a judge ruled the outcomes could have been different in the wake of the iVote failure in December.

Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell estimated it would cost the NSW Government "half-a-million dollars" to re-run the three elections.

He said it was "not in the public interest to redo the elections" and that the "only winners ... will be the barristers".

Singleton Council General Manager Jason Linnane is seeking compensation for candidate campaign costs and council's legal fees. (Supplied: Singleton Council)

Legal costs well above $50,000

Singleton Council's General Manager Jason Linanne said his council was still pursuing compensation for legal fees, which will have a "substantial" impact on its budget.

"It is expensive, we'll be on the other side of $50,000 and it could head higher depending on how things progress in the next few months," he said.

"If we have to spend the money on legal fees, it means that money can't be spent on local services here in Singleton and so our local community misses out."

Mr Linanne said there have been indirect impacts to council staff tasked with managing the iVote failure.

"But even more important is the compensation to the candidates, those people who put their people up to serve their community, who incurred a cost during their campaigning ... in December," he said.

"How will they be looked after?

"I think it'd be grossly unfair if they were left out to dry."

Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell says the by-elections could cost approximately half a million dollars. (ABC Upper Hunter: Jake Lapham)

'No commitment' yet

Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell says the Electoral Commissioner "has indicated that they are closely looking at the issue".

"[The commissioner is] trying to determine what to do with the councillors' costs ... and indicated there will be a system of reimbursement," Mr Layzell said.

"I would imagine though, that's not going to be their full costs."

As for impacted councils, Mr Layzell asked for their legal costs to be brought up with the state government "so they can be assessed".

"But we need to have a good discussion around the table about those costs because it is very unfair on the people of Singleton."

The matter returns to court next month.