Pre-poll voting
You can vote before election day as a pre-poll voter if you cannot attend a polling place between 8 am and 6 pm in your area/ward on election day, because you:
- will not be in your ward/council area
- will not be within 8 km of any polling place
- will be travelling under conditions which will prevent attending a polling place
- are a member of a religious order or have religious beliefs which prevent you from attending a polling place or voting during polling hours
- are at a place other than a hospital, caring for a person who needs care for medical reasons and will be prevented from attending a polling place
- will be working during polling hours
- have a disability which will prevent attending a polling place
- are prevented by approaching maternity
- are a silent elector.
Pre-poll voting will be available at the returning officer’s office and other locations during the two weeks before election day. Dates and hours of operation are advertised in local newspapers, on this website and on your council’s website.
To vote pre-poll you attend the office and make an oral declaration that you are eligible. You will be issued with ballot paper/s which must be completed in the office and returned folded. The ballot paper/s are enclosed in a declaration envelope which you must sign. It is sealed and kept in a secure ballot box until after the close of poll on election day. All pre-poll votes are opened together and counted as soon as possible after election day.