Whitsunday mayoral by-election 2022: Everything you need to know

The Electoral Commission of Queensland has set the date for the Whitsunday mayoral by-election. Here is what you need to know.

Decision day for the Whitsunday Regional Council mayoralty is fast approaching.

The election will be held on August 13 and early voting for the top job begins on August 1 at 9am and closes on August 12 at 6pm.

The ECQ will run in-person voting booths, rejecting the council’s initial push for a full postal ballot.

The three early voting centres are the Bowen PCYC, Proserpine Whitsunday Freemasons Lodge and the Cannonvale Returning Officers office at the Whitsunday Shopping Centre on Shute Harbour Rd.

On election day there will be five polling booths, in Cannonvale Beach, Proserpine, Collinsville, Bowen and Hamilton Island.

ECQ commissioner Pat Vidgen said there were a number of ways people could vote.

“Don’t worry if you can’t make it on polling day, we have several options available including telephone voting for people who meet the eligibility criteria, like those who have tested positive to Covid-19 and anyone interstate or overseas,” he said.

Whitsunday Regional Council 2022 mayoral by-election candidates. Julie Hall (top left), Phil Batty (bottom left), Al Grundy (top right), Jan Clifford (bottom right) and Mike Brunker (right). Not shown: Peter J Hood. Other candidates may emerge in the coming days. Picture: Contributed

“There will also be two weeks of early voting and postal voting and both of those options are open to everyone.

“We know there are more than 23,600 registered voters in the Whitsunday region and we want to make voting as quick and easy as possible for every one of them.”

Voting is compulsory and those who dodge their democratic obligations will be hit with a $143.75 fine.

The by-election has been called to fill the vacancy left when former mayor Andrew Willcox replaced George Christensen as the federal member for Dawson.

The start of the nomination period, when people can register to run for mayor, begins on Friday.

A scrum of business identities and politicians have already put their hand up for the job, including Councillor Jan Clifford, Councillor Al Grundy, Acting Mayor Mike Brunker, Peter J Hood, Phil Batty and former Dawson One Nation candidate Julie Hall.

For a rundown of who is in and who is out, check out our list here.