Pre-poll voting 47% up compared to the 2012 ACT Election

Published 7 Oct 2016

With just over a week to go to the 15 October ACT Legislative Assembly election, more than 35,000 pre-poll and postal votes have been issued, the ACT Electoral Commissioner, Phil Green, said today.

Voters who are unable to get to polling places on 15 October have been voting at six pre-poll voting centres across the ACT.  At the close of voting on Thursday 6 October, over 20,000 pre-poll votes had been cast, an increase of over 47% on the 2012 election figure of just over 14,000 votes for the same period.

“At this stage of voting in 2012, 12,000 electronic votes had been cast.  By last night, over 17,300 electronic votes had been cast for this election.  More than 14,400 postal ballot papers have also been mailed to electors over the last two weeks, an increase of over 4,100 or 40% on 2012 numbers,” Mr Green said.

“The continuing increase in the number of electors casting early votes may be due to a number of factors.  Convenience may be one factor, but it may also be a reaction to voting experiences at the recent federal election where there were reports of long queues,” Mr Green said.  

“I would like to reassure voters at the ACT election that we are not expecting long queues on polling day,” Mr Green said.  “There is only one ballot paper for each voter to complete for the ACT election compared to two for the federal election and there are some extra polling places opening on polling day, including in Bruce, Charnwood, Downer, Evatt, Franklin and Hall.  The six pre-poll centres will also be open on polling day, taking electronic votes.”

“The Election Guide being sent to all ACT households by Elections ACT lists all the polling places that will be open on polling day.”

“Pre-poll voting is available for all Canberrans who know that they will not be able to get to a polling place on polling day. The six pre-poll voting centres are open from 9am to 5pm tomorrow, Saturday 8 October as well as from 9am to 5 pm Monday to Thursday next week. The centres will remain open until 8 pm on Friday 14 October,” Mr Green said.

The pre-poll voting centres are at:

  • Belconnen: Belconnen Community Centre, Swanson Court
  • Canberra City: Pilgrim House, 69 Northbourne Avenue
  • Canberra City: Eclipse House, 197 London Circuit
  • Gungahlin: Gungahlin Library, Conference Room 1, Access via Hibberson Street
  • Tuggeranong: Salvation Army Hall, Cnr Anketell St and Reed St North
  • Woden: Callam Offices, 58 Easty Street

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