Early Voting Period for Local Government Elections

COTA Queensland’s latest newsletter has the following information about how seniors can vote early to avoid the crowds.

“The peak body for older Queenslanders, Council on the Ageing (COTA) Queensland Chief Executive, Mark Tucker-Evans said older Queenslanders had expressed concern that they may not have been able to vote in the forthcoming local government elections due to restrictions being put in place to battle COVID-19.

Mark Tucker-Evans commended the Electoral Commission Queensland (ECQ) for initiating special voting times between 9:00 am and 11:00 am daily for more vulnerable electors including people aged 60 year and over.

Older people are more susceptible to getting sick with COVID-19 particularly those who have chronic illnesses and who may have a weakened immune system.

Pre-polling is available at 128 early voting centres between 9:00am and 9:00pm on Wednesday and Thursday this week and next week and on Saturday 21 March between 9:00am and 5:00pm. All details for the 2020 local government elections is available on www.ecq.qld.gov.au.

Mark Tucker-Evans said that it is important that electors participate in the local government election yet encouraged everyone to take their own pen or pencil when voting, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer and keep a safe distance between each other when in public places. ECQ staff will be deployed to manage queueing safely.

ECQ has now announced that they have put in place measures to enable residential aged care residents to participate in the local government election by way of phone voting.”

Article courtesy of COTA Queensland.  COTA Qld is a statewide, not-for-profit organisation advancing the rights, interests and futures of people as they age.  For over 60 years  COTA Qld has worked with older people to influence decision making and create positive social change.  They promote older people’s rights and advocate to Government on issues that affect us all as we age.  Their membership includes individual supporters, community and sector support organisations.  For more information about COTA, go to www.cotaqld.org.au.