Ballina, Byron and Lismore residents can now cast their vote in the upcoming council elections, with pre-polling stations across the three LGAs opening yesterday.
Tweed shire residents will have to wait a little longer as their poll date has been postponed until October 29 following the death of one of the candidates.
Candidates who nominated for the previous (now cancelled) Tweed election will need to renominate. Nominations are open from September 19 to September 28.
In Ballina, the pre-polling station for all three wards is at the Ballina Region Returning Officer’s office, 1/3-5 Clark Street, Ballina. The office is open Monday – Friday: 8:30am – 5:30pm; (Friday 09 Sep: 8:30am – 6:00pm); Saturday: 9:00am – 5:00pm. It is closed on Sundays.
Disabled voters are advised there is no accessible parking, no accessible toilet, path has lips/steps.
Byron shire residents can also vote now at Ballina, at the Byron Bay Community Centre and the Mullumbimy Civic Centre (*but note that Mullumbimby Civic Centre pre-poll does not commence until 8.30am on this Saturday 3rd September – see below for opening times).
Both of these venues are fully wheelchair accessible.
The Byron Bay Community Centre, at 69 Jonson Street, is open Monday – Friday: 8:30am – 5:30pm and Saturday: 9:00am – 5:00pm.
The Mullumbimy Civic Centre, at 55 Dalley Street, is open from Saturday September 3 until Friday September 9: 8:30am – 4:30pm.
The Lismore centre, at 154 Molesworth Street, Lismore, and the opening hours are: Monday to Friday, 29 August to 2 September, from 8.30am to 5.30pm; Saturday, 3 September, 9am – 5pm; Monday to Thursday, 5-8 September, 8.30am – 5.30pm; Friday, 9 September, 8.30am – 6pm.
There is no absentee voting for local government elections, which means voters must either cast a pre-poll vote or vote on Saturday, 10 September.
Residents of all LGAs can also vote at Sydney Town Hall, 483 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000.
Postal voting is also available for those who will be away and cannot attend a pre-poll voting centre or vote within the LGA on election day. Postal voting application forms are available at www.votensw.info.
If you are unsure of anything or need any assistance, visit www.votensw.info or phone 1300 135 736.
Byron, Ballina and Lismore residents can now put back the same councillors into council that they have been complaining about all year. People voting early surely would not know the new blood as the new blood are just dying to get in and change things in keeping rates down. The ratepayers who will vote on September 10 are the ones going to the BBQ.