All election visits to nursing homes cancelled as coronavirus prompts calls for election to be delayed

All election visits to nursing homes have been cancelled as coronavirus prompts calls for the polling day to be delayed. A list of nursing homes eligible for telephone voting has been drawn up as fears about the coronavirus spreads.

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A list of nursing homes eligible for telephone voting on polling day has been drawn up as fears about the coronavirus spreads.

The list, which remains under wraps, will also include certain hospitals and will extend to more than 30 nursing homes in Logan.

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The move comes as unease spreads across the Logan City Council electorate as campaign volunteers and candidates try to shield themselves from catching coronavirus.

Under the rules for telephone voting, those who are eligible must call and apply to vote via phone.

They will get a Personal Identification Number (PIN) which they will then use on polling day when they ring to cast their vote.

Mayoral candidates from Logan joined Brisbane and Redland mayors in calling for an extension to postal applications.

But Logan mayoral candidate Darren Power said a two-week extension to the polling date was needed.

He called for a review of the electoral commission after another computer glitch on Sunday stopped people registering for postal votes online before Monday’s deadline.

“No-one has been able to get into the postal votes online over the weekend and as a result we may need to extend the election by two weeks,” Mr Power said.

“You have to register to get a postal vote by 7pm tomorrow.

“That’s not going to happen for a lot of people and already I’ve had at least 50 people contacting me complaining.”

Logan City Mayoral candidates. Sherry Heath says no to delaying the poll; Brett Raguse says no to delaying; Returning Officer Ray Langley says there are no plans to delay; John Freeman says no delay but stop how-to-vote cards being handed out; Paul Taylor says no to delaying but ban handing out how to vote cards; Stewart Fleming is concerned about a low turnout at the poll; Darren Power called for a review of the process and Allan de Brenni says no delays. PHOTOS: JUDITH KERR

Logan mayoral candidate Stewart Fleming said he was concerned about a low turnout on the day and said canddiates should be allowed to drop off campaign material and have it displayed at nursing homes and the hospital.

John Freeman, who is also running for mayor, said he had decided not to hand out how-to-vote cards after concerns from his volunteers.

Another mayoral candidate Paul Taylor said he wanted the poll on March 28 but wanted how-to-vote cards banned, even though his were already printed.

Logan councillor candidate Clinton Pattison said any delay in the vote counting because of postal voting would be outweighed by allaying people’s fears.

But other mayoral candidates Brett Raguse and Ben Musgrave were happy for the poll to go ahead as planned.

More than 70 per cent of shoppers at the Hyperdome this morning said they might not vote because of the coronavirus. PHOTOS: JUDITH KERR

A quick straw poll of 25 people in the Hyperdome carpark this morning found more than half were concerned about catching coronavirus if they voted at a polling booth on March 28.

Of those surveyed, 18, or 72 per cent, said they might not turn up to vote because they feared catching the virus.

Loganlea grandmother Jean Stewart said she was concerned a lot of people would miss out on applying for a postal ballot before tomorrow’s 7pm deadline.

“I filled everything out online on the ECQ site but it would not let me print out the form,” she said.

“I have since called the ECQ and was told it was because I was putting in the word ‘Street’ in the line for address – apparently you don’t need to add that.

“There will be a lot of people who will not have applied for a postal ballot before tomorrow who will be forced to go in and vote at a booth.”

Those who fail to vote on March 28 will be fined $133.45.

Despite the concerns, Returning Officer for Logan Ray Langler said there were no plans at this stage to delay the election and voters could avoid crowds by voting at one of five early polling centres which open tomorrow.

Logan Returning officer Ray Langler say the poll would still go ahead on March 28. PHOTOS: JUDITH KERR

That was backed up by ECQ, which said postal voting would be available for those who did not want to go to a booth and telephone voting would be the elderly and sick.

“At this stage, the poll will still go ahead on March 28 on advice from Queensland Health,” ECQ said this morning.

Queensland Health issued a statement on Friday saying voting at a booth was low risk for catching coronavirus as it was unlikely there would be more than 500 people at any booth at any one time on polling day.

Five early polling booths across the city open tomorrow at 14 Cronulla Crt, Slacks Creek; 1 Enterprise Dr, Beenleigh; 36 Centenary Place, Logan Village; 64 Eastern Rd, Browns Plains and at Crestmead PCYC, Gimlet St, Crestmead.

They are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.