John Bowler

John Bowler

Former Minister for Local Government; Employment Protection; Racing and Gaming; Goldfields-Esperance and Great Southern

    Voting correctly is best way to secure local government postal votes

    22/04/2005 12:00 AM
     
    22/04/05

    More than 75 per cent of local government postal votes are still sitting in electors’ homes or offices.

    Local Government Minister John Bowler urged people eligible to vote in the 47 local government elections being conducted by post, to return their votes before Saturday, May 7.

    Mr Bowler said voting correctly would not only ensure better local government, it would also prevent voting papers being misused.

    “Completing the ballot paper and posting it yourself will help ensure that your vote counts and that it will not be tampered with,” he said.

    “More than 800,000 electors should have received their voting papers in the mail last week.

    “Electoral Commission figures show that almost 200,000 postal votes have already been returned.

    “That means there are a lot of people who could still have a say in their local decision-making processes.

    “Local government has an increasingly important impact on our lives, both by providing services and facilities and through its role in planning and community development.

    “Stronger community participation will make for better, more representative local government.

    “Eligible electors who have not received postal voting papers can apply for replacement papers.”

    Mr Bowler said another 51 local governments, mostly in regional and rural areas, would conduct in person ballots on Saturday, May 7.

    People who were not able to attend a local polling place on that day could apply to their local government for a postal vote.

    More information about voting can be obtained from local governments or from the Department of Local Government and Regional Development’s website: http://www.dlgrd.wa.gov.au/lgelections or the WA Electoral Commission’s website at http://www.waec.wa.gov.au

    Minister's office: 9213 6500

      Local governments conducting postal voting in 2005:
      Albany, Armadale, Ashburton, Augusta-Margaret River, Bassendean, Belmont, Bunbury, Busselton, Cambridge, Canning, Capel, Carnarvon, Chittering, Claremont, Cockburn, Collie, Cottesloe, Dardanup, Denmark, Donnybrook-Balingup, East Pilbara, Fremantle, Geraldton, Gingin, Gosnells, Greenough, Kalamunda, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Kwinana, Lake Grace, Mandurah, Melville, Mount Marshall, Mundaring, Murray, Nedlands, Perth, Rockingham, Serpentine-Jarrahdale, South Perth, Stirling, Subiaco, Swan, Victoria Park, Vincent, Wanneroo, Waroona.

      Local governments conducting in-person voting in 2005:
      Bayswater, Beverley, Boddington, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, Brookton, Broome, Coolgardie, Cranbrook, Cue, Cunderdin, Derby-West Kimberley, Dowerin, Dundas, Esperance, Goomalling, Halls Creek, Harvey, Irwin, Katanning, Kellerberrin, Kondinin, Koorda, Kulin, Laverton, Leonora, Manjimup, Menzies, Morawa, Mount Magnet, Mullewa, Nannup, Narrogin (S), Northam (Shire), Northam (Town), Northampton, Pingelly, Port Hedland, Ravensthorpe, Roebourne, Shark Bay, Toodyay, Victoria Plains, Wagin, Wandering, West Arthur, Wickepin, Williams, Wiluna, Wyalkatchem, Wyndham-East Kimberley, Yilgarn.

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