As we round the corner towards the home strait of the NSW election, pre-poll voting opens from today, and Monday is the last day to register for a postal vote, but there is no iVote this year.
NSW Electoral Commissioner John Schmidt said it is time to plan when, where and how to vote in the upcoming State election.
“Voting is compulsory for all enrolled electors in NSW and there are penalties for failing to vote.”
“One of the best ways to plan your vote is by using the Find my electorate tool on the NSW Electoral Commission website.”
“This is an easy way to find information relating to your electorate, nearest voting or early voting centre and opening times, candidates and more, all in one place.”
Mr Schmidt said early voting centres around the state were preparing for strong demand in the coming week.
Recent elections held in Australia, at the Federal, State and local government levels, have seen a marked increase in the number of voters turning out to early vote in-person.
“If you will not be able to vote on election day and are eligible to vote early, find your local early voting centre today”, he said. “I encourage all voters to familiarise themselves with their voting options ahead of election day.”
The iVote voting system has provided eligible voters with the opportunity to cast their vote online or over the telephone in state elections since 2011 and more recently in local government elections. However, the iVote software used by the Electoral Commission was recently phased out and the short time frame for configuring and testing a new version before March 2023 means the Electoral Commissioner could not be confident an updated system adapted for elections in NSW will be ready in time. So there will be no iVote this year – those who are unable to attend a booth on election day will need to pre-poll or register for a postal vote by Monday.
Mr. Schmidt also noted strong demand for postal vote applications, with 464,114 received since applications opened on Monday, 16 January.
“Strong postal vote application numbers show NSW voters are planning ahead, no matter where they will be on election day,” he said.
“If you are eligible to vote by post don’t wait until the last minute to apply. The best way to apply for a postal voting pack is online directly through the NSW Electoral Commission website. There
is no need to go via other websites.”
Applications for postal voting packs close at 6pm, Monday 20 March. To be counted postal votes must be completed on or before 6pm on election day and received by the NSW Electoral
Commission no later than 6pm, Thursday 6 April.
Early voting centres will operate in each electoral district from Saturday, 18 March through to Friday, 24 March, not including Sunday, 19 March.
For more information, call 1300 135 736 or go to elections.nsw.gov.au or view the below animations:
- Voting at the 2023 NSW State election: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg7gjOlSvG8
- How to postal vote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZuBMlOmhLY
- How to fill out your ballot papers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UZbcMGjA6Y
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