The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) has been granted the authority to extend the postal voting timeline for the current Victorian Local Council elections, if necessary.
The Commission said it had been given the authority to ensure that voter participation and election results were not affected by any possible mail delivery delays.
Electoral Commissioner Warwick Gately said the changes were an appropriate contingency option which responded to community concerns about extended mail delivery timelines arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Seventy-six of Victoria’s 79 Local Councils are having elections in October and all are being conducted by post,” Mr Gately said.
“The VEC is engaging regularly with Australia Post and will be using the priority paid mail service for all postal ballots mailed and returned, but I accept there may be some delays,” he said.
“The strict timelines for the mailing and receipt of ballot packs is prescribed by law.”
“The authority provided to me by the regulatory amendments allows me – if required – to mitigate the impact that any possible delays could have on the integrity of the elections.”
Mr Gately said he would not risk a situation where voters were deprived of their right to vote.
“This action doesn’t mean the timelines will change, just that they may be changed if there is any evidence that delays in the postal network are impacting the integrity of the elections,” he said.
