In-person voting to still be required at Territory election in August, as NT Electoral Commission finalises plans

THOUSANDS of voters will still be expected to physically go to the polls at the August election, as the NT Electoral Commission finalises its coronavirus precaution plan.

Thousands of voters will still be expected to physically go to the polls at the August election, as the NT Electoral Commission finalises its coronavirus precaution plan. Picture: AAP Image/ Matthew Vasilescu

THOUSANDS of voters will still be expected to physically go to the polls at the August election, as the NT Electoral Commission finalises its coronavirus precaution plan.

The NT Electoral Commission (NTEC) is looking to accommodate social distancing at the upcoming election by opening up more early voting centres, encouraging postal voting and extending early voting times.

It comes after Chief Minister Michael Gunner rejected multiple calls to postpone the NT election for a few months despite coronavirus fears.

An NTEC spokesman said conducting the NT election solely by postal vote was also not an option because postal services were still limited in many remote communities.

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He said electoral staff would be taking all the necessary precautions as they travelled through remote communities to start conducting mobile polling on August 10.

“The commission is in the process of working with the Health Department, Chief Minister’s Department, land councils and communities in regards to health protocols and access requirements that will be needed to be met for NTEC staff to conduct electoral services in remote communities,” he said.

Australian Medical Association NT president Robert Parker said holding the election should be a “reasonably low risk” at this stage.

“If there’s no community spread before the election and we can keep the borders safe I think it’s a reasonably low risk to be frank,” he said.

“It’s months away so if we do see community spread in the NT over that time, serious consideration should be given to postponing it.”

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The NTEC has had to suspend its remote enrolment program, scheduled to start this month, due to the ongoing coronavirus.

The commission estimates there are still about 25,000 eligible voters in the NT who have still not enrolled and about 16,000 of them are indigenous.

ELECTION SCHEDULE

Issue of writ and nominations open — Thursday, 30 July

Close of electoral roll — Friday, 31 July

Close of nominations — Thursday, 6 August

Declaration of nominations — Thursday, 6 August

Early voting centres open — Monday, 10 August

Mobile voting commences — Monday, 10 August

Postal vote mail-out commences — Monday, 10 August

Overseas postal dispatch ceases — Tuesday, 18 August