Pre-polling opens up for Queensland state election

With less than two weeks to go until Queenslanders go to the polls, voters have the opportunity to get their ballot in before the October 26 election date.

Queenslanders are now officially able to cast their vote in the state election, with pre-polling open in every electorate.

While candidates across the state have been campaigning for a fortnight, pre-polls open on Monday two weeks out from the October 26 election.

Labor, LNP, the Greens, Independents and other political parties are trying to convince voters to select them on the ballot paper through various election promises and proposals.

Griffith University School of Government and International Relations senior lecturer Ferran Martinez i Coma said pre-polling would capture voters who had already made up their mind, while undecided voters would wait until polling day.

“The people who are more undecided they will wait for the later days to the election just in case there are new proposals that may come up,” Dr Martinez i Coma said.

“We know from the federal level elections that this tends to be the case.”

According to opinion polls, Labor led by Queensland Premier Steven Miles will likely be ousted at the upcoming state election. Picture: NewsWire/ Tertius Pickard

The latest Newspoll has forecast a wipe-out for Labor and Premier Steven Miles, with Labor on track to secure just 30 per cent of the primary vote.

In data collected between September 12 to 18, the week before campaigning began, 42 per cent of those surveyed selected the LNP led by David Crisafulli, and 12 per cent opted for the Greens.

On a two-party preferred basis, the LNP dominated Labor 55 to 45 per cent.

Voters looking to cast their vote early can find the details of their nearest early-voting centre via the Electoral Commission of Queensland’s website, and will have until Friday 6pm on October 25 to do so.

Voting is compulsory and a failure to vote attracts a $161.30 fine.