Queensland state by-elections, council polls to go ahead despite virus bans

Electoral authorities insist Queensland’s March 28 polls will be held, with a surge in postal and early voting.

Queensland voters have hit pre-polling booths in big numbers for the state’s council elections. Picture: Brett Wortman

Electoral authorities insist that the Queensland local government elections and two state by-elections scheduled for 28 March will still go ahead despite bans on gatherings of more than 500 people due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the virus crisis has caused prospective voters to swamp the Electoral Commission of Queensland with applications for postal votes and a big upswing in the number of people attending pre-polling places.

The ECQ reported receiving 487,000 postal vote applications for the elections — more than 130,000 of them in the 24 hours before applications closed. That represents about 15 per cent of the total population eligible to vote in the elections.

Since postal votes are usually the last to be counted in an election, the high number may delay the election result.

Nearly 170,000 people also showed up to vote on the first two days that early voting centres have been opened, prompting the ECQ to extend hours for polling booths right up until 28 March.

Voting is compulsory in both state and local government elections in Queensland. About 3.2 million people in the state are enrolled to vote.

Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the elections should go ahead as “community safety is paramount”.

Early voting has proved popular with Queenslanders

“Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young has emphasised the importance of having mayors and councillors in place to lead their communities at this time,” he said.

“The latest advice from Dr Young is that there is no need to delay the elections at this time.”

In a statement the commission insisted the elections should go ahead as planned.

“After considering this decision and taking advice from Queensland Health, the ECQ has determined that, based on current advice available, the elections should proceed,” it said.

“This is on the basis that: the elections facilitate an essential service by providing for continuity of democratic representation for Queenslanders; and static gatherings at polling places are not likely to exceed the 500 person threshold.

“Based on voting numbers at previous elections, it is highly unlikely that there will be more than 500 people attending individual booths at any one time. Additional measures such as queue control will be put in place for polling booths where high volumes of voters are expected.”

The ECQ said hand sanitiser would be available at all polling places and all polling booth surfaces would be regularly disinfected. It also advised people to bring their own pen or pencil to mark their ballot paper.

Postal voting has surged in the lead-up to council elections and state by-elections.

Valerie Rodios, 60, believes the vote should still go ahead in two weeks time to offer political century and ensure ratepayer funds aren’t wasted.

“I think I should just go ahead with it. They spend all this money on advertising and it gives people a sense of unity and confidence,” Ms Rodios said.

She had stepped into the Brisbane City Hall polling booth after shopping in the nearby Myer Centre.

“There is plenty of stuff on sale but there is just no one around,” said the early voter.

The downside of pre-polling, Ms Rodios said, is that schools don’t get the extra funds from election day sausage sizzles and bake sales.

Student Ben Hardgrave, 27, said he wanted to get voting out of the way “with the whole virus situation”.

“I missed the postal vote. I only knew about the cut-off the afternoon of, so I missed out but I’d hope other people vote early,” he said.

“I feel like it’s too close so it (the election) is pretty much locked in”