Democracy is excellent. As is the democracy sausage – but is that snag sanger really worth lining up at the local school on a Saturday to cast your vote? If you've got other plans on the NSW State Election Day (Saturday, March 25, 2023), you can pre-poll. We answer all your early voting questions.
How do I vote early?
Early voting lets you cast your ballot in person at an early voting centre. These bad boys are open for a week leading up to the election, meaning you can skip the election day circus and vote at any time from Saturday, March 18.
Caveat: you do have to have a valid reason to vote early.
What makes me eligible for pre-polling?
You must be:
-
more than 8km from a voting centre in your electorate on election day;
-
outside New South Wales;
-
travelling and unable to attend a voting centre;
-
caring for a person outside of a hospital setting;
-
seriously ill or infirm (meaning you'll be unable to attend a voting centre on election day);
- a person with a disability;
- working on election day;
-
a pregnant woman approaching birth;
-
have religious membership or beliefs that prevent you from attending a voting centre on election day;
-
believe that attending a voting centre on election day will place your safety or the safety of your family at risk.
If one or more of the above criteria apply to you, you can vote at an early polling centre.
Remember, voting is compulsory for all eligible Australian citizens.
Where can I vote early?
To find early voting centres in your area, go to the NSW Electoral Commission website and use the address look-up tool.