Huge pre-poll sparks call for votes to be counted early

Record high pre-polling will make the state election harder to call on the night, with experts urging caution over the final numbers.

Early voters Grace Coubrough, Chloe and Courtenay. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Political experts say record high pre-polling numbers could make it difficult to call the election on Saturday night.

A huge wave of early votes has prompted calls from experts to change the current model to allow early votes to be counted before polls close, with the results kept secret until the voting deadline.

It comes after a record pre-poll turnout of more than one million voters.

QUT academic and former Labor Speaker, John Mickel, said the pre polling numbers were so high it would be difficult to call the election on Saturday night as votes cast on election day could give a misleading trend.

Mr Mickel said counting of pre-polls should — in future years — start on election day.

But he stressed that must be done under similar rules to budget lockups to ensure results were not released until voting closed at 6pm.

“Early voting has become a thing and it’s time we moved with it,” Adjunct Associate Professor Mickel said.

“It’s obviously been welcomed by a majority of people.’’

He said counting could begin hours, or more, before the close of polls.

But it would be prudent for that to be done by scrutineers under similar rules to budget lockdowns, where phones and electronic devices had to be handed in and no one could leave before the formal release of results.

Dr Mickel also said the trend to early voting meant there should not be leaders’ debates in the final week of a campaign and policies or costings also needed to come out earlier.

“In the old days it was much harder to vote early. You had to ring up your returning officer and make an appointment to see them at their home,’’ he said.

Former Labor minister and QUT adjunct associate professor John Mickel

Griffith University political expert Paul Williams said it was important counts were not released until polls closed to avoid influencing people who had not yet cast their votes.

“This problem is not new. In the 2022 federal election, because of the time difference with Western Australia and daylight saving in the east, results were coming in while people were still turning up to vote and there were concerns about the influence of that,’’ Associate Professor Williams said.

“It’s called the bandwagon effect. People like to back a winner.

“That is counter balanced by the underdog effect, which is important in Australia.”

Dr Williams said a big advantage of early counting would be to allow returning officers more time to deal with disputed votes and to double check counts.

“Half the electorate, or more, will vote early this time. It’s uncharted territory,’’ he said.

He said early voting was more convenient for many people.

It was particularly common in regional areas where there were fly in, fly out workers, inner-city areas where office workers could duck out at lunch to vote, or areas where there were early polling booths in shopping centres or other convenient locations.

McConnel voter Stella Humphreys lodged her ballot early in Fortitude Valley. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Former Labor state secretary Cameron Milner agreed that while early counting was a good idea, it was critical the results not be released until the last vote had been lodged.

He was not aware of any other jurisdictions which allowed this, except a few US states where records were published of who had voted — but not how they had voted.

“Counting any ballots before voting is complete is very fraught. It’s a secret ballot for a reason,’’ he said.

“Scrutineers from parties and candidates are an essential part of democratic process, so they would have to have all communications removed and be locked in the count room until after the wider polls had closed, otherwise actually knowing the vote could inform and influence those still left to vote.

“Though more and more people pre-poll and therefore counting takes more time and delays the on-the-night early result, that’s far preferable to our vital democratic tradition of a secret vote being put at risk.’’

Paul and Sisse Newton with their dog Ollie, voting early in Fortitude Valley. Picture: Steve Pohlner

A spokeswoman for the Electoral Commission of Queensland said it must operate in accordance with the Electoral Act 1992.

“The Act is quite specific about how voting and counting of votes is to take place,’’ she said.

“Under section 127 counting of votes can only begin after the close of polling on election day. “Any potential future change to the legislation is a matter for Government.’’

New Farm resident Stella Humphreys said she had voted early for the first time, on October 24, in her electorate of McConnel.

“My mum suggested it because she was so excited to vote,’’ she said.

“It was a great experience. I got right in and right out without queuing.’’

Former Labor state secretary Cameron Milner

Paul and Sisse Newton turned up early at McConnel with pet dog Ollie to vote early.

“I’ve done it before. It’s less crowded,’’ Mr Newton said.

Ferny Hills resident Grace Coubrough was one of many people from surrounding electorates to vote in McConnel on October 24, taking advantage of being able to do so during her office lunch break with friends Chloe and Courtenay.

“It’s the first time I’ve done it. I usually do it on Saturdays because I like the experience and I like the sausage sizzles,’’ she said.

Another 150,000 people voted early on Wednesday, October 23, bringing the total number of early voters to 1.23 million across Queensland.

FAST FACTS

• More than 3.68m people are enrolled to vote for the election

• The last early voting is from 8am-6pm on Friday

• There are 200 early voting centres. Locations can be found here

• In 2020 about 970,000 people voted early

• About 690,000 postal votes have been processed by the ECQ and lodged for delivery by Australia Post. More than 150,000 postal votes have been received by the ECQ

• Postal voters have until 6pm on election day to fill out their ballot papers. Postal vote applications have closed

• Telephone voting is available to voters who have an illness, impairment or disability. Nearly 16,000 people have registered to vote by telephone

Originally published as Huge pre-poll sparks call for votes to be counted early