Apathy and confusion could keep residents away from Blacktown Council election on Saturday

Blacktown  Council candidates are afraid voter apathy and confusion will lead to a low turnout at Saturday’s election despite compulsory voting.

Voters cast their votes at Max Webber Library, Blacktown, in 2013.

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Blacktown  Council candidates are afraid voter apathy and confusion will lead to a low turnout at Saturday’s election despite compulsory voting.

Labor candidate for Ward 1 Chris Quilkey said many people he met on the hustings seemed not to be aware there was an election.

“I’m standing outside the pre-poll now and people are seeing the posters there and saying, ‘Is there an election on? We didn’t know’,” he said.

Not all NSW councils are holding elections on Saturday. The councils that were forced to merge will hold elections next year.

Blacktown Council is one of 78 councils not merging.

Chris Quilkey

Mr Quilkey said while the council mergers had caused confusion among voters, there had not been enough advertising to let residents know they needed to vote.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a low turnout and I would be very disappointed if they were to fine people who didn’t vote, given the poor publicity leading up to the election,’’ he said.

Ward 1 Liberal candidate Jess Diaz said July’s Federal Election was also causing some confusion.

“A lot of people say they just voted in the Federal Election, so they’re confused about that,” he said. “They’re saying, ‘What election is this?’”

He expected more interest in the days before the election, when parties ramped up their campaigns with letter box drops and train station visits.

A NSW Electoral Commission spokesman said election ads had been run in the press, on radio and online.

“For postal and pre-polling, which we’re in now, there’s been online, social (media) and radio advertising,” he said.

“That will be followed by reminder-to-vote ads in the final week in press, (on) radio and online. A fair bit of advertising has gone on.”

A Blacktown Council spokesman said it had put roadside signs throughout the electorate publicising the election.

Meet your council candidates: blacktownadvocate.com.au