Minister steps in to ban handing out election material at booths; Logan limits volunteers

Handing out how-to-vote cards have been banned at local council election booths in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus when people go to the polls.

VOTERS will have to pick up their own how-to-vote cards after the state government ordered volunteers to stop handing out campaign material at booths this morning.

Blue chalk marks on the ground at early polling booths across the southeast this morning forced voters to keep the obligatory 1.5m distance.

The stringent measures follow yesterday’s move by Logan mayoral candidates who imposed a limit on the number of people handing out election material at early polling booths.

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Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said under new powers introduced in Parliament this week, the Electoral Commission of Queensland had issued the Directive to all candidates to find other ways to display their how-to-vote information.

Blue chalk marks on the ground force voters to keep their distance this morning.

“Use traditional election-size signs, put them on a table so voters can help themselves, print it on a T-shirt – there are plenty of ways to get the message across without having to get close to people,” he said.

“Let’s face it – it’s 2020 and our candidates are all a pretty savvy lot so use social media and emails.”

The directive also applies to other election material, including fliers, leaflets and voter information cards.

Volunteers at booths must stand 1.5m apart and practise strong hygiene.

Logan Returning Officer Ray Langler met with seven of the city’s eight mayoral candidates at Slacks Creek on Thursday to discuss banning campaign volunteers at booths.

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It was decided that each candidate would only have one volunteer at each booth.

Candidates will be able to display one A4 sign and a box for their election material at the front door of all five booths.

All mayoral spruikers were banned but all signs outside booths can remain.

Mr Langler was also arranging meetings with the city’s 58 councillor candidates to decide whether to ban councillor election material from booths.

The meeting with Mr Langler came after mayoral candidates John Freeman and Stewart Fleming proposed solutions for social distancing.

Returning Officer Ray Langler takes a latter from mayoral candidate John Freeman asking for volunteers to be banned at booths.

“We are in uncharted times and, as leaders, we should be endeavouring to do everything in our power to send a clear message to the community that their health and safety is important.”

The practices are in operation at Division 6 booth at Beenleigh.

Division 6 candidate Mike Latter said the measures to curb volunteers and how to vote cards were already in place at the Beenleigh polling station