Voters in Queensland state electorate of Callide return to polls on June 18 after Speaker Curtis Pitt declares by-election date

Just weeks after voting in the federal election, residents in the rural Queensland electorate of Callide will return to the ballot box. Here’s what we know

Voters in the Central Queensland electorate of Callide will return to polling booths less than a month after the national poll, with a state by-election date now confirmed.

Barely emerging from the shadow of the federal election, voters in the large rural electorate of Callide – which takes in Chinchilla, Taroom, Moura, Biloela, Calliope, Monto, and Gin Gin – will vote for their new state parliamentarian next month.

Many voters who helped elect former Callide MP, Colin Boyce to the federal electorate of Flynn on Saturday will now return to polling booths to elect his replacement in the safe Liberal National Party seat.

Colin Boyce at Mt Morgan on Saturday morning before securing election for the federal electorate of Flynn. Picture: Supplied.

The LNP currently holds the seat on a 15.8 per cent margin following a 23.8 per cent swing on primaries in 2020.

Speaker Curtis Pitt has set June 18 as the day for the by-election, telling parliament this week the federal election meant it was practical to delay the vote.

“I did not want to hold the Callide by-election during the federal election campaign period,” Mr Pitt said.

“In choosing the polling date, I was mindful of the 2022 federal election, which was practically required to be held in May.”

Hon Curtis Pitt, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Queensland parliament Question Time, Brisbane. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

Callide is a large agricultural seat, hosting a number of coal mines and coal seam gas sites.

In March, the LNP announced 26-year-old Bryson Head would be its candidate hoping to replace Mr Boyce after he resigned and made the successful leap to federal politics.

As of Tuesday evening, The Observer is only aware of two other candidates, One Nation’s Sharon Lohse who previously contested the 2019 and 2022 federal elections in Flynn, and the 2020 election in Maryborough, as well as Biloela independent Adam Burling who placed third in the 2020 election in Callide.

Early voting will begin from Monday, June 6, excluding weekends, and candidate nominations close 12pm on Tuesday, May 31.

Voting is compulsory for people enrolled to vote in Callide.

One Nation's candidate for Flynn, Sharon Lohse.

Queensland Labor was approached about when its candidate would be announced but was unable to comment.

Gordon Earnshaw was the previous Labor candidate.