The ACT Electoral Commissioner has received formal notification from the Chairperson of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body that one of its members, Mr Paul House, has resigned his position on the Elected Body.

"I am now required to notify the vacancy and call for applications from the unsuccessful candidates at the 2008 Elected Body election who still live in the ACT, and who wish to contest the vacancy," the Electoral Commissioner, Phil Green said today.

Vacancies on the Elected Body are filled by distributing the votes of the former member. "In effect, those voters who voted for Mr House determine his replacement," Mr Green said.

"To begin the formal process for filling the vacancy, I will be placing an advertisement in The Canberra Times on Saturday 24 July 2010 inviting candidates who stood unsuccessfully at the 2008 election to contest the vacancy.

"Those candidates then have 10 days to apply to contest the vacancy, if they wish to do so."

Applications will close at 12 noon on 3 August 2010. "I will declare the names of the candidates who wish to contest the vacancy at 12:30pm that day," Mr Green said.

"Then, if more than 1 candidate applies to contest the vacancy, a distribution of the votes received by Mr House will take place at my office, commencing at 2pm that same day, to elect a candidate to fill the vacancy," Mr Green said.

Phillip Green
Electoral Commissioner