Early voting for the federal election has opened for people who won’t be able to get to a polling place to cast their ballot on July 2.
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The Australian Electoral Commission started pre-poll voting on Tuesday, June 14.
Several locations across the Hunter will be open for early voting, including East Maitland Uniting Church, 1/10 Allendale Road, Cessnock, 179 Lang Street Kurri Kurri and 13 William Street, Raymond Terrace.
Each site has varying opening hours, which are available on the AEC website.
Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers said voters could either vote early in person or apply for a postal vote, but personal preference was not a valid reason to vote early.
“It is important for voters to apply early to ensure there is enough time to receive their ballot papers, complete and return them to the AEC by election day,” he said.
Postal vote applications can be completed online. Hard copy postal vote applications are available from any AEC office or Australia Post outlet, or by calling 13 23 26.
POPULAR CHOICE FOR 2016
Early voting is an increasingly popular choice, with more than one quarter of voters having placed their vote ahead of election day in 2013.
Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) figures show 27 per cent of voters used pre-poll or postal vote options at the last election, a rise from just 18 per cent at the 2010 ballot. In NSW, that equated to more than 1 million of the state’s 4.5 million registered voters marking their ballot papers early.
With the July 2 poll clashing with school holidays in a number of states, the number is expected to be even higher this time around. Read on.