Regional polling place positions filled

The AEC has announced on the night before election day that the 76 regional polling places identified as being in danger of not opening due to staff shortages had all obtained the required staff.

Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers said the effort over the past few days to reach this position has been mammoth.

“If election day begun at 7pm tonight every single one of the 7,000 polling places we’ve planned for would open its doors, Mr Rogers said”

“We cannot thank people enough – our colleagues across government and the community have stepped up to lend and a hand, and Australians have stepped forward for democracy.”

“While this is extraordinary, it is a pandemic election.”

“Our 105,000 workforce across Australia has had approximately 15 per cent turnover in the past week alone and this risk will continue tomorrow morning.”

“If some of the small number of people we’ve lined up to work at a local voting centre withdraw on the morning of the election, we may not have back ups available in that town.”

“For 105,000 positions we’ve had more than 280,000 registrations of interest but it’s not evenly spread across the country.”

“To those people working for us tomorrow, thank you for putting your hand up. Please, unless you wake up COVID+, come in to work to make sure that your polling place can open.”

“To voters, if there is a queue remember to treat our staff with kindness. You wouldn’t have a local polling place without them.”

Editor’s note:

• See previous media releases on this issue