NTEC expecting surge in postal voters for Territory election, causing slower poll count
THE NT’s electoral commission is expecting a surge in postal voters in the lead-up to the Territory’s August poll as punters navigate democracy in the age of coronavirus.
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THE NT’s electoral commission is expecting a surge in postal voters in the lead-up to the Territory’s August poll as punters navigate democracy in the age of coronavirus.
More than 2500 Territorians are already signed up to lodge their NT election vote via snail mail 40 days away from August 22.
This is a third of the 6649 voters issued with postal vote packs in 2016 but the NTEC is expecting applications to ramp up.
Peak body for senior Territorians, the Council of the Ageing (COTA) NT, confirmed it would be teaming up with NTEC to urge thousands of older, more vulnerable voters to vote via post and stay away from booths.
COTA NT chief executive Sue Shearer said postal voting would be the best option for seniors in retirement or aged-care homes this election as the NTEC couldn’t set up voting booths there under COVID-19 health rules.
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NTEC Commissioner Iain Loganathan said the number of people who chose to vote early increased significantly at the 2016 poll and the trend was expected to continue in 2020.
The federal by-election in the NSW seat of Eden-Monaro, held on July 4, resulted in a 127 per cent rise in postal vote applications in the electorate when compared to the 2019 federal election.
There was also a 15.5 per cent increase in the number of pre-poll voters in the seat, which was retained by Labor, as compared to the 2019 poll.
Coronavirus safety measures has led to NTEC extending early voting to 11 centres that will be open from August 10 to August 21, including over the weekend.
But the surge in early and postal voting could mean a longer wait for the results.
“The NTEC anticipates the number of postal votes combined with a higher rate of electors voting early will likely extend the time it takes to undertake the count on election night,” Mr Loganathan said.
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Meanwhile, the NTEC’s remote enrolment program is about to enter its fourth week with more than 20 remote locations, of the 90 or so on the list, already visited.
The number of voters on NT’s electoral roll has risen to 139,841 as at the end of June, up 3 per cent compared to 2016.
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