www.electionin.org

Organisation : Electoral Commission Queensland
Facility : Local Government Elections Includes Brisbane City Council
State : Queensland
Country : Australia
Home Page : http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/

ECQ Elections Brisbane City Council

Polling day: Saturday, 19th March 2016

Related : Electoral Commission Queensland Electoral Roll : www.electionin.org/770.html

Local Government elections and by-elections are conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Electoral Act 2011, Local Government Act 2009 and the City of Brisbane Act 2010. ECQ will appoint Returning Officers (RO’s) for local government areas to conduct the election on behalf of and under the direction of the Commissioner.

Enrolment

All eligible electors are required by law to be enrolled. Electors enrolled for federal and state elections are automatically enrolled for their local government area. Prior to the election it is important to check your enrolment, you can also find which electorate you are enrolled to vote in. Rolls for the elections will close between 5 to 7 days after the notice of the election, however, you may enrol or update your enrolment details by 6pm Friday 18 March 2016 and claim a declaration vote for your new address.

Voting options

Voting is compulsory at local government elections. Local government elections are conducted as full postal ballot, attendance election or a combination of both. The list of local councils (PDF, 26.7 KB) provides information to electors on what voting options will be available in your local government area for the 2016 election. The voting in a local government election page provides detailed information of the different voting options available to you.

Election Results

Local Government Election results will be posted on ECQ’s website from polling night onward.

Failure to Vote :
Voting is compulsory It is compulsory for electors to vote in State and Local Government elections. This includes by-elections, referendums and polls.

Failing to vote :
If you were required to vote at an election but did not, you may receive an Apparent Failure to Vote notice. This notice allows you to provide an explanation regarding your circumstances on polling day and provides details for payment of a reduced penalty amount. You should wait until you receive this notice and reply in writing on the form provided. It is important you respond to Apparent Failure to Vote notice.

You will be sent an Infringement Notice, if :
** You do not respond to the Apparent Failure to Vote notice;
** Your reason is not valid and sufficient; or
** You have not paid the reduced penalty amount.

The infringement notice is accompanied by a request to pay the full penalty amount. You must reply within 28 days from the date the infringement notice is issued. If you fail to pay the infringement notice or provide a valid and sufficient explanation, the offence will be referred to the State Penalty Enforcement Registry for further action. In some circumstances you may be required to complete a Queensland Statutory Declaration. These may be lodged in person, by fax, email or by post.

Voting in Local Government Elections

Voting is compulsory at local government elections. Local government elections can be conducted by full postal ballot, attendance voting or a combination of both.

Full postal ballot :
** A number of local government areas will be conducted exclusively by postal ballot.
** All electors in these areas will automatically receive their postal ballot papers by mail without needing to apply.
** Ballot material will be dispatched soon after the close of nominations. Ballot material will be sent to your enrolled postal address.
** If your postal ballot material is lost in transit or is accidentally defaced or destroyed, you MUST apply for replacement ballot material by completing a declaration form.
** No polling booths will be open on polling day for full postal ballot areas.

Attendance voting :
Attendance voting options include voting on polling day, pre-poll, postal, special postal voter, electoral visitor, declared institution, and mobile polling.

Voting on polling day :
** Polling booths are usually at schools and halls.
** The location of polling booths will be advertised in newspapers in the period leading up to the election as well as on this website
** Polling booths are open from 8am to 6pm on polling day
** An elector can vote at any polling booth within the local government area in which the elector is enrolled
** It is important to remember that you will not be able to vote outside your local government area or cast an absent vote.
** If you are unable to vote in your local government area on polling day you will need to pre-poll or postal vote.

Voting before polling day (pre-poll) :
Pre-poll voting is voting prior to the actual election day. Our website will display a full list of pre-poll booths including dates and hours of operation at election time. Pre-poll voting commences fourteen days prior to polling day and concludes at 6pm on the day before polling day

Postal voting :
Electors can apply for a postal vote by completing a postal vote application form (PDF, 137.5 KB); this will be made available closer to election time. Alternatively you can apply by contacting the commission directly. If you are already registered as a postal, special postal or silent elector; or your local government area has been approved to conduct their election by post, you do not need to complete an application. Ballot papers will be automatically sent to you.  Applications for a postal vote must be received no later than 7pm on the Wednesday prior to polling day. Postal votes must be completed before 6pm on polling day and received by the Returning Officer by close of business on the 10th day after polling day.

Special postal voter (SPV) :
Electors who reside in an attendance local government area and who automatically receive their postal ballot material for state government elections will also automatically receive their postal ballot material for local government elections.

Electoral visitor voting (EV) :
Signed applications for an electoral visitor vote must be received no later than 7pm on the Wednesday before polling day. Please note you must qualify for an electoral visitor vote.

Declared institution voting (DI) :
Electoral officials will be available, prior to election day, to visit those electors who are patients and/or residents of registered declared institutions. Please note this service is ONLY available to electors who are patients and/or residents of these facilities and not available to institutions staff or visitors. Please contact your facilities’ administration for information on whether visits have been arranged.

Mobile polling :
Voting for electors in remote areas (including outer Torres Strait Islands) will be arranged by the Commission. A full list of communities to be visited including dates and times will be advertised on the ECQ website, in regional newspapers, and on local radio closer to election times.