Why Whitsunday council mayoral by-election could be postal vote only

A regional council facing two by-elections after its mayor snared the federal seat of Dawson wants to run the polls by postal vote. Read why it wants to move away from polling booths and democracy sausages. 

Whitsunday Regional Council has voted to endorse a full postal ballot for the upcoming Whitsunday mayor by-election.

The motion to replace traditional polling places with mail-in voting was carried unanimously.

The council has written to Deputy Premier Steven Miles requesting approval for the change and he will refer the issue to the Electoral Commission of Queensland for consideration.

In its letter to Mr Miles, the council argued issues of voter fatigue, voter attendance, Covid and the flu, cost and timing all made a full postal vote more attractive than the usual in-person method.

“Savings can also be realised through a postal ballot with less cost in venues, transport and logistics of moving ballots and the overall cost of the day,” the document states.

A by-election is imminent because Whitsunday Mayor Andrew Willcox won the federal seat of Dawson in late May.

Mr Willcox will formally resign from his position when the Australian Electoral Commission declares the result and from that point, the vacancy must by law be filled within two months.

It is still unclear when the AEC will make the declaration and it could come as late as next week.

“With the limited time of only 60 days to conduct the election there is a sense of urgency in being able to prepare and undertake an election during such a short time frame when the quadrennial elections allow for much more preparation time,” the document states.

The document also stated a full postal vote would increase voter participation.

“The 2020 local government election saw a low voter turnout across the region with average attendance of only 73.32 per cent across the region (below the state average of 77.41 per cent) and it is submitted that a postal ballot is more convenient and would assist in increasing voter participation,” the document stated.

The report recommended a full postal method should be adopted for any subsequent by-elections in the 2020-2024 council term.

Three councillors have already put their hands up for the mayoral jobs, namely Mike Brunker, Al Grundy and Jan Clifford.

Should one of these contenders be elected mayor, there will be a by-election to fill their seat.

Whitsunday businessman Peter Hood has also indicated he would run for mayor.

Note: An earlier version of this story quoted Whitsunday Regional Council CEO Rod Ferguson. That was incorrect. The quotes were from a report that will go before the council at its ordinary meeting on Wednesday.