Pōkeno councillor Fabio Rodrigues cleared after election tampering allegations
Tuakau-Pōkeno general ward councillor Fabio Rodrigues, 20, claims his life was “flipped upside down” by the allegations. Photo / Michael Craig
One of the country’s youngest ward councillors has been cleared by police after allegations of election tampering were levelled at him last year during a tense battle for the seat.
Tuakau-Pōkeno general ward councillor Fabio Rodrigues, 20, claims his life was “flipped upside down” by the allegations, which he maintains were a part of a smear campaign to keep him out of the council.
He said he was surprised to win the seat last year after the police investigation was launched.
Rodrigues – who is studying law and political science at the Auckland University of Technology – has also taken aim at the police.
He told the Herald he believed they took “way too long” to clear his name, and that this had made him distrustful of the legal system.
Counties Manukau Detective Inspector Shaun Vickers said police conducted a “thorough” investigation and the allegations could not be substantiated.
Rodrigues was involved in another controversy during the race when he was allegedly head-butted by the husband of a rival candidate just weeks before the tampering allegations emerged.
He said the tampering claims surfaced just as his campaign started gaining momentum at the end of September 2025.
It was claimed that Rodrigues had been handing out voting papers to people visiting their Post Office boxes inside the GAS Pōkeno, where he worked, and encouraging people to vote for him.
It was also alleged that he put his own flyers into Post Office (PO) boxes while placing mail in them on behalf of NZ Post.
He said the allegations and subsequent police investigation flipped his life upside down.
“To have my integrity questioned so publicly, and to know my community might be wondering what was true, weighed heavily on me.”
It was “surreal” to win the election amid the police investigation and headbutting controversy, he said, but he tried not to let it cloud his reputation or desire to make his community a better place.
Although ultimately “relieved” that he could put the controversy behind him, Rodrigues wanted to highlight that it took several months for police to conclude their investigation.
The experience had made him distrustful of the legal system.
“There’s a level of incompetency in there that needs to be fixed.”
Vickers did not respond directly to questions around the length of the investigation.
However, he called it “thorough” and confirmed police began inquiries just days after the report came through.
“On 25 September 2025, police received a complaint regarding the conduct of a candidate during the Waikato District Council’s Tuakau-Pokeno general ward local election.
“A police investigation commenced on 27 September after the file was assigned to the relevant workgroup.”
Vickers said the allegations were “not able to be substantiated” and the case had been closed.
Rodrigues remained committed to the mission that got him elected; to serve with “honesty, transparency and determination”, and fighting for the residents in his community.
He felt like he was working “about 20 hours a day”, juggling council meetings and responsibility along with his studies at AUT.
One of the main things he hoped to bring to the council was stronger engagement with the community, particularly young people.
He felt some previous councillors had “shocking” communication skills, and he hoped to bring his “Gen Z expertise” to help the council better utilise social media to reach more residents.
Rachel Maher is an investigative reporter covering Auckland issues and education. She started at the Herald as a breaking news journalist in 2022, before joining the Auckland team this year.
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