Council elections pre-polling guide

AS THE regions gear up for the forthcoming local elections, some opportunities remain for communities to meet the candidates before polling day.

In Byron Bay, two events offer the opportunity to meet and greet at the Byron Theatre on Monday, September 2, at 6 pm, and at the Bangalow Bowlo, Bay FM journalist Mia Armitage will moderate a mayoral candidate conversation on Tuesday September 10, at 6 pm.

A breakfast event to meet Ballina candidates will be held at the Ballina RSL on Wednesday, September 4, at 7.30am.

The former mayor of Lismore City, Jenny Dowell, will host an event with councillors and candidates at the Red Dove Café Hall tomorrow, Saturday, August 31, from 1pm.

Pre-polling booths are now open for voters who cannot vote on September 14. Absentee voting is not allowed in NSW local government elections, and voters must vote at the locations allocated to their local government area.

In the Byron Shire, both locations are wheelchair accessible:

Byron Region Returning Officer’s Office – 55 Dalley Street, Mullumbimby

Byron CoLab – 10-12 Shirley Street, Byron Bay

The two Lismore pre-poll booths are wheelchair accessible and located at:

Lismore Region Returning Officer’s Office – 4 Zadoc Street, Lismore

Goonellabah Community Centre – 27 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah

Current pre-poll locations for Ballina LGA are:

The Richmond Room – 5 Regatta Avenue, Ballina

Lennox Head Community Hall – 7 Daybreak Way, Lennox Head

In Tweed, all booths, except for Casuarina, are wheelchair accessible:

Tweed Returning Officers’ Office – 68 Gollan Drive, Tweed Heads West

Tweed Shire Council Civic and Cultural Centre – Brett Street, Tweed Heads

Tweed Heads South Community Centre – 18 Heffron Street, Tweed Heads South

Murwillumbah Civic and Cultural Centre – 10-14 Tumbulgum Road, Murwillumbah

Casuarina Beach Hockey Club – 1 Barclay Drive, Casuarina

Applications for postal votes will close Monday, September 9, at 5pm. Poll booth and postal voting will conclude on Saturday, September 14, by 6pm.

The NSW Electoral Commission must receive all postal votes by Friday, September 27.

For more information on candidates in each LGA, visit the relevant council websites and individual Facebook pages for events, councillors and candidates.

The Times News Group will publish a survey of all candidates in next week’s edition on Friday, September 6.

For more information and application forms for postal voting, visit opva.elections.nsw.gov.au