People who need to cast their vote prior to this Saturday can make their way to Bathurst’s pre-poll voting booth right up until Friday evening.
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Divisional Returning Officer for Calare Dimity McKenzie said if voters are going to have trouble getting to the polling booths on election day or if they will be out of the area, they should vote prior to Saturday.
Bathurst’s pre-polling booth is at 211 Howick Street next to the NRMA and opposite Clancy Motors.
It will be open from 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday and from 8.30am to 6pm on Friday.
On Saturday the booth will
be converted to a polling place for people from interstate.
Ms McKenzie said it is in a good central location and there is reasonable parking.
“If anyone is going to have trouble voting on Saturday, if they will be out of the area, or working, have mobility issues or expecting a baby for instance, go and vote early,” she said.
It’s compulsory all eligible Australians must vote.
Ms McKenzie said last year thousands of people took the opportunity to vote early.
After a bit of a slow start
439 people pre-poll voted in Bathurst on August 9, 369 on August 10, 328 pre-poll voted on August 11 and 384 on August 12.
There are around 500 locations around Australia where people can lodge an early vote.
Enrolled Australians living, working or holidaying overseas can vote in person at more than one hundred embassies, consulates and missions.
At the 2007 federal election approximately 70,000 votes were issued overseas at Australian diplomatic missions.
Australia’s largest polling place anywhere in 2007 was at Australia House in London with more than 16,000 votes issued.
Hong Kong came in second with around 10,000 votes.
If you know you are going to be travelling on Saturday, vote now at the pre-polling centre.
You can vote early, either in person or by post, if on election day you will be:
n Unable for religious reasons to go to a polling place.