Voting in local council election closes tonight

VOTING in the local council elections closes today (Friday, October 25), with the deadline for ballots to be mailed or received set at 6pm.

Ballot packs were mailed to more than 4.4 million voters from October 7, and the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) had received 61.33 per cent back at close of business yesterday (Thursday, October 24) with voting closing at 6 pm today.

Postal votes can be dropped off at election offices by 6pm today:

• For the Surf Coast Shire, at 1/1 Haystacks Drive, Torquay
• For the City of Greater Geelong, at 403 Moorabool Street, South Geelong, and
• For the Borough of Queenscliffe, 50 Learmonth Street, Queenscliff.

Those mailed by 6pm today can be accepted until 12 noon on Friday, November.1.

The overall statewide turnout rate in 2020 was 81.47 per cent, with the final turnout for 2024 likely to be known after the close of the postal vote receipt period on Friday, November 1.

Electoral Commissioner Sven Bluemmel said that although some issues had been raised regarding the non-receipt of ballot packs and changes of addresses, the VEC worked closely with Australia Post to deliver over 100,000 replacement ballot packs, many of which were to alternative addresses since the close of roll.

Extraction of ballot papers from envelopes starts from tomorrow (Saturday, October 26), with counting starting on Monday, October 28.

“The counting of votes will take place over the next 3 weeks locally within each council wherever possible,” Mr Bluemmel said..

The VEC anticipates that all elections will be declared by November 15.