Hundreds head to pre-polling stations in Townsville weeks out of official polling day

Hundreds of Townsville residents have hit the polls already, including a 74-year-old “rusted-on” Labor voter who joked he may not be around to vote in three weeks.

HUNDREDS of Townsville ­residents have hit the polls ­already, with voters turning up in force to prepolling stations yesterday.

The line to the ballot boxes at Woodman Court in Hyde Park snaked for metres yesterday morning as candidates and volunteers handed out how-to-vote cards and spoke to constituents.

An Australian Electoral Commission spokesman said prepolling and postal voting numbers rose at every election.

“The trend for early voting is certainly increasing from election to election. This is the case not just for federal ­elections but for state and territory events as well,” he said.

Self-confessed rusted-on Labor voter Walter Williams, 74, joked that at his age, he may not be around to vote in three weeks.

Walter Williams of Aitkenvale lines up at Hyde Park for Pre-Polling. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“I’d hate to die before I could have a vote,” he said.

“I always knew I was going to vote Labor; over the years I’ve been disappointed with various parties but I’m one of the rusted-on voters.”

Voter Cheryl Mason, who said she would be voting for a major party, said the Adani mine was certainly an issue she had been watching this ­election.

Four of the eight Herbert candidates had representation at the Woodman Court prepolling station, including MP Cathy O’Toole and LNP’s Phil Thompson, who were there in person. Greens candidate Sam Blackadder and KAP’s ­Nanette Radeck were ­bolstered by volunteers.

A spokesman for the AEC said a small number of early voters at the Walker St polling station in the Townsville CBD were required to wait when doors opened at 8.30am but confirmed no voters were turned away and the centre was operating fully by 9am.

Townsville voters line up at Hyde Park for Pre-Polling. Picture:Zak Simmonds

Originally published as Hundreds head to pre-polling stations in Townsville weeks out of official polling day