Electoral commission urges voters to return postal ballots

THE Electoral Commission is urging Tasmanians to act quicly or run the risk of missing their chance to having their say about who is on their local council.

Local Council Elections. Young voters Harry Payne 19 of Mount Stuart and Heidi La Paglia 25 of Hobart. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.

THE Electoral Commission is urging Tasmanians to act quicly or run the risk of missing their chance to having their say about who is on their local council.

Downgrades to the mail service mean the TEC has been forced to expand the voting period for the local government elections — which is conducted by postal ballot.

Ballots will start hitting mailboxes from today as 481 candidates vie for positions on 28 councils.

Since the 2014 local government election, Australia Post has changed its delivery method to a two-speed service: normal and priority mail.

Tasmanian Electoral Commissioner Andrew Hawkey is urging voters to return their ballot papers straight away.

Tasmanian Electoral Commissioner Andrew Hawkey is urging voters to return their ballot papers straight away. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.

“At the last election, Australia Post had essentially one service, which was basically overnight delivery for most Tasmanians,” he said.

“Even under priority mail it could take four days to get to regional towns, so return your papers straightaway because the last thing we want is ballots coming two or three days after the poll closes.”

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The TEC has extended the polling period from two weeks to three weeks to compensate for the change with the poll closing at 10am, Tuesday, October 30.

“Historically 20 to 30 per cent of the ballot papers are retuned Monday, Tuesday morning of the close-of-poll period,” Mr Hawkey said.

“If in doubt, drop it off at your local council.”

There are 36 Hobart City aldermen hopefuls, six more than in 2014 where too many candidates were blamed for the high rate of informal voting, when 7.6 per cent of Hobart voters filled out their ballot paper incorrectly.

Hobart electors will receive a ballot paper with 36 names with a different rotation from every person in their household. Voters will need to number their preferences 1-12 because there are 12 seats on the Hobart City Council.

At the 2014 elections, the state average return rate was 54.28 per cent.

Hobart had a return rate of 51.66 per cent, Clarence sat at 45.53 per cent and Kingborough had 53.79 per cent of voters return their ballots.

In the state’s north, Burnie had a 58 per cent return rate, Launceston fell just short of the average with 52.76 per cent as did Devonport with 53.67.

Mr Hawkey said if you haven’t received your ballot paper by Friday, October 12, phone the TEC on 1800 801 701 or 6208 8700.