Postal votes open next week: what you need to do

The Electoral Commission has fired the starter’s gun for the October 31 state election, with postal voting starting on Monday Here’s what you need to do.

Postal voting for the October 31 state election opens on Monday. Picture: iSTOCK

Keen voters can lodge a postal vote for the October 31 state election from Monday next week after the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) fired the starter’s gun for the race.

Postal vote applications close on October 16.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said voters must reapply, even if they asked to lodge a postal vote at the March local government elections.

Mr Vidgen said voters would not get their ballot papers until mid-October, however, when nominations closed.

Extended early voting days will also be available to deal with an expected large number of pre-polls.

Early voting will take place on Saturday October 24, as well as election day voting between 8am and 6pm on October 31.

During the March council elections there were huge queues as record numbers of people tried to avoid crowds at the height of the lockdown.

Ironically, polling booths were almost deserted on the March 31 election day.

Ibis outnumber voters on polling day

Voters lined up at the Indooroopilly pre-polling booth at the March council elections. Picture: AAP/Darren England

Mr Vidgen said mobile polling stations would not be available at aged care homes due to COVID-19, but postal voting would be “streamlined’’ for aged care residents.

“The ECQ is working to ensure Queensland electors have every opportunity to vote for their representative in the next Parliament,” Mr Vidgen said.

“Usually postal vote applications open with the issue of the writ, which begins the election period.

“However, with COVID-19 still a factor, we anticipate strong interest in postal voting just as we saw in March’s local government elections where around 570,000 electors applied.’’

“To ensure voting in person can be as streamlined as possible, we ask electors to plan the way they’ll have their say.

“That means planning their vote, choosing where and when they’ll vote, staying 1.5m apart, using hand sanitiser and bringing their own pen or pencil.’’

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

To apply for a postal vote online go to ecq.qld.gov.au, on or after September 14

To apply via the call centre phone [phone], on or after September 14

To make sure you’re correctly enrolled go to aec.gov.au