Pre-poll times extended as the crowds rush in
Queenslanders are voting early with large crowds attending prepolling stations to avoid long queues and the threat of coronavirus on polling day
South West
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Prepolling for the Brisbane City Council elections is going so strongly, Forest Lake ward councillor Charles Strunk estimates up to 40 per cent of residents will have voted by the official polling day.
Queensland voters started hitting the pre-polling sites hard from the moment of opening on Monday, but with extended hours also in place, Cr Strunk says the turnout is “unprecedented”.
“In the 20 years I’ve been attending pre-polling booths, I’ve never seen anyting like it,” he said.
“The numbers that have come in are unbelievable, exceeding all expectations of the turnout.”
He said there was a “gentlemen’s agreement” between candidates that they refrain from flooding the polling booths with supporters, so people can maintain the advised “social distancing” guidelines.
“We have an agreement, we are keeping it to one or two and people from each candidate and voters can take the voting material without physical contact,” he said.
Meanwhile, voters are being asked to remember the 1.5m distancing advice, which Cr Strunk said was posing no problems at Forest Lake.
Greens candidate Ms Mulkearns said the Greens had strong protocols in place to ensure the public and party volunteers were following the virus protection advice outside polling booths.
LNP candidate Roger Hooper said he’d never seen as many early voters in an election and welcomed the extra-prepolling opening hours to help people vote safely.
The early crowds were also welcomed by Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe, as part of the process of keeping government working smoothly.
“Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young has emphasised the importance of having mayors and councillors in place to lead their communities at this time,” he said.
“The latest advice from Dr Young is that there is no need to delay the elections at this time.”
Mr Hinchliffe said the turnout at early polling stations was as expected, almost two weeks ahead of the 28 March election date.
“Community safety is paramount,” he said.
“The figures around postal vote applications are also unprecedented, with an estimated 540,000 Queenslanders applying.”
To ensure election day and early voting runs smoothly, the Electoral Commission of Queensland has put in place a range of measures as follows:
■ Take your own pen or pencil.
■ Extra cleaning of polling booth areas.
■ Extra staff to help with queue control and monitoring.
■ Maximising the distance between vote-issuing tables and screens.
■ Use the hand sanitiser that’s provided at voting centres.
For more information about Queensland’s local government elections, visit ecq.qld.gov.au
FOREST LAKE and JAMBOREE ward pre-poll times
Pre-poll booth times at 21/315 Archerfield Rd, Richlands.
NEW: Thursday, March 19 9am - 9pm
Friday, March 20 9am - 5pm
NEW: Saturday, March 21 March 2020 9am - 5pm
Week 2
Monday, March 23 9am - 6pm
Tuesday, March 24 9am - 6pm
NEW: Wednesday, March 25 9am - 9pm
NEW: Thursday, March 26 9am - 9pm
Friday, March 27 9am - 6pm
Disability Access - Assisted
Pre-poll booth times 3/80 Sumners Rd, Sumner
Thursday, March 19 9am-9pm
Friday, March 20 9am-5pm
Saturday, March 21 9am-5pm
Monday, March 9am-6pm
Tuesday, March 24 9am-6pm
Wednesday, March 25 9am-9pm
Thursday, March 26 9am-9pm
Friday, March 27 9am-6pm
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