Manurewa voting scandal: Claims locals asked to hand over blank local body election ballots

Journalist·NZ Herald·11 Oct, 2026 04:00 PM7 mins to read‌Auckland Council CEO Phil Wilson says it's possible some Manurewa candidates secured their seats by cheating, amid allegations of vote rigging and stolen ballot papers in last year's local body elections. A young Punjabi woman has told police her family’s blank voting papers were collected by a neighbour during last year’s local government elections in Manurewa – on a street where several votes were also cast in other people’s names. The woman, whom the Herald is calling Preet to protect