A total of 70 Early Voting Centres have been set up across the State as part of a concerted effort to reduce numbers in polling places on the 13 March Election Day.
Electoral Commissioner, Robert Kennedy said the Commission was actively promoting early voting and postal voting as part of its COVID-19 risk management process.
“Anyone on the Western Australian electoral roll can attend any Early Voting Centre, regardless of what electorate they live in,” Mr Kennedy said.
“Early Voting Centres use an electronic roll that covers the entire State, so electors will have their name marked off and they will be given the ballot papers for their enrolled district.”
He said the Commission would be using the SafeWA QR Code system at all Early Voting Centres. If electors were unable to use the SafeWA app, a manual contact register system would be in place.
Mr Kennedy said many electors were already opting for postal voting.
“Anyone concerned about voting in person can apply for a postal vote,” he said.
“This is a two-stage process: People can go to the Commission’s website or contact the Commission’s Call Centre to be posted out an application form.”
He said that once an application form had been received and processed ballot papers could be sent out.
“Completed postal packages must be posted back by 13 March in order to be included in the final count,” Mr Kennedy said.
He said there were 19 political parties and a total of 788 candidates contesting the State Election — 463 candidates in the Legislative Assembly, and a record 325 for the Legislative Council.
At the close of enrolment there were 1,716,732 people eligible to vote.
