Don't Waste Your Vote

The Weekend West, 5th September, 2013

It seems that some people are not following the instructions on the postal ballot envelopes - this means that their votes are wasted.

Postal voting can seem complex, but the main thing to remember is to ensure that all your ballot papers (including the plebiscite in Vincent) are in the ballot paper envelope, that you sign and date the flap on that envelope and then place it in the addressed reply-paid envelope to mail to the Returning Officer.

Be very sure that you sign and date the flap on the ballot paper envelope and do not remove it - this flap is the evidence that yours is a valid vote and is akin to having your name crossed off the electoral roll at an in-person election.

As Chris Evans, Acting WA Electoral Commissioner, is reported as saying, this is a landmark poll for many Councils and it is vital that votes are not wasted.

If you think you are too late to have your mailed ballot papers received by 6pm on election day (Saturday 19 October, which effectively means Friday 18th October), or you simply don't trust Australia Post, you can hand-deliver the envelope to an electoral officer at the offices of the local government during office hours before election day or the polling place (City of Vincent Administration Centre, cnr Vincent and Loftus Streets, Leederville, in the case of Vincent - follow the gaze of the blue head) between 8.00am and 6.00pm on election day (19th October).