The Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) has outlined measures to ensure safe and fair voting at October’s State Election.
Electoral Commissioner, Pat Vidgen said the measures centred on three factors.
He said these were advice from the Chief Health Officer; the successful provisions implemented during March’s Local Government elections; and ensuring electors were enfranchised.
“Ensuring electors can vote in a convenient and COVID-safe way forms the basis of ECQ’s Statement of Intent,” Mr Vidgen said.
“As we did during the Local Government elections, we will incorporate COVID-safe practices, expand early voting days and hours, as well as cater for an increased interest in postal voting.”
Mr Vidgen said ECQ’s COVID-safe initiatives implemented during the March elections were very successful with no spike in COVID-19 infections following the election period.
He said the ECQ was dedicated to ensuring that in October, Queenslanders could vote for their State representatives as easily, safely and conveniently as possible.
Mr Vidgen said the ECQ would expand voting services to ensure electors had a range of voting options.
Applications for postal votes would to open early; there would be additional postal voting capacity and additional capacity for the ECQ Call Centre, he said.
“We will facilitate political participation through how-to-vote messaging and scrutineering of vote counting while respecting health protections,” Mr Vidgen said.
“There will be specific election-related information included on the ECQ website,” he said.
