Early voting kicks off to fill state vacancy in Callide electoral district

Just two weeks after the Federal election, residents of Callide will return to the ballot box from today to fill the state vacancy left by Colin Boyce.

Callide voters will return to the ballot box from today as early voting starts to fill the state vacancy left by Colin Boyce.

The LNP is expected to retain the seat with its candidate Bryson Head following the election of former Callide MP Colin Boyce to the federal parliament.

Labor will run Bronwyn Dendle, however Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has acknowledged it would be a tough seat to win.

Colin Boyce has been elected to the Federal seat of Flynn. Picture: Brad Hunter

The Electoral Commission of Queensland said voters in the Central Queensland electorate would have two weeks from Monday to cast their early votes with polling booths across four locations.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen empathised with the almost 35,000 voters in Callide who had to vote again in the by-election just weeks after the federal election but said there would be several options available.

“We have early voting booths in Biloela, Chinchilla, Gayndah and Gin Gin, giving voters plenty of choice,” he said.

Bryson Head is the LNP Candidate hoping to represent the people of Callide.

“At the 2020 state election, about 38 per cent of people in the Callide electorate cast their ballots during the early voting period and we expect to see those numbers, or possibly higher, again.

“We’ve worked to make voting as easy as possible and there’s only one ballot paper so it’s a quick process, but an important one.”

The early voting polling booths open 9am today and open daily until 5pm, excluding weekends, and close at 6pm on June 16.

Telephone voting registrations are also open for people who meet certain criteria, including having to isolate due to Covid-19, or people who might be interstate or overseas.

Voters in Callide will have until 7pm Monday to apply for a postal vote.