Logan coronavirus case stirs voting fears with postal vote a solution

Logan voters concerned about the coronavirus after a man from the city contracted the illness have been told they can apply for a postal ballot form.

Seven of the eight Logan City Council mayoral candidates with Returning Officer Ray Langler, holding the finalised ballot card. Pictured: Sherry Heath, Brett Raguse, Ray Langler, John Freeman, Paul Taylor, Stewart Fleming, Darren Power and Allan de Brenni. PHOTO: JUDITH KERR

LOGAN voters concerned about the coronavirus after a man from the city contracted the virus have been told they can apply for a postal ballot form.

LOGAN CANDIDATES: THE COMPLETE LIST

LOGAN CORONAVIRUS

EIGHT MAYORAL CANDIDATES

ADMINISTRATOR’S ELECTION FAKE NEWS COMPLAINT UPHELD

A 26-year-old man from Logan is in isolation at Princess Alexandra Hospital where he is being treated for coronavirus.

His admission sparked concern among volunteers planning to hand out how-to-vote cards for candidates in this month’s Logan City Council elections.

Returning Officer for Logan Ray Langler said anyone who was sick or concerned about coming in contact with the coronavirus could apply online for a postal vote.

Logan Returning Officer Ray Langler at Wednesday’s ballot draw.

However, he also said people could cast their vote at one of five early voting centres which open on March 16 in Logan.

“There’s no difference between coming to vote and going to the shop and buying food,” he said.

“You would encounter just as many people at the shops as going to one of the early voting centres — it’s no more an issue of contact with people as going to the shops.”

On Wednesday, Mr Langler met seven of the eight mayoral candidates for Logan when he oversaw the ballot draw to determine the order of names on the ballot paper.

The Logan mayoral ballot draw with the names as they will appear on the ballot paper.

Mayoral candidate Darren Power said his volunteers had already raised concerns with him about possible exposure to the virus while handing out how to vote cards or manning polling booths.

Candidate John Freeman said his volunteers would all have hand sanitisers at each polling booth.

Former federal MP Brett Raguse will be the first name on the ballot paper followed by ex-councillor Darren Power, father of Springwood Labor MP Allan de Brenni, ex-council staffer Sherry Heath, Chamber of Commerce president Stewart Fleming, ex-mayor John Freeman, communications technician Ben Musgrave, and stonemason salesman Paul Taylor.

Early voting centres in Logan open on March 16 from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

They will be 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.