ntec.nt.gov.au Election FAQs : Northern Territory Electoral Commission Australia

Organisation : Northern Territory Electoral Commission
Facility : Election FAQs
Country : Australia

Election FAQs : https://ntec.nt.gov.au/
Home Page : http://www.ntec.nt.gov.au/

Election FAQs :
Frequently asked voting questions :
When are elections held? :
Legislative Assembly elections are held on the fourth Saturday in August every four years. Local government elections are held in March every four years with the date set by the Minister.

What is a by-election? :
If a Member of the Legislative Assembly resigns or dies, an election is held to determine his/her replacement. A by-election will only be held if the vacancy occurs less than three years and six months after the first meeting of the Legislative Assembly following the previous general election. Similarly, if a council member resigns or dies, an election is held only to fill the vacancy. A by-election does not have to be held if the vacancy occurs in the 12 months before general elections are due.

What voting system is used? :
Legislative Assembly elections use full preferential vote marking and counting. Local Government elections use Single Transferable Vote Proportional Representation (STVPR)

NOTE: The vote counting system previously used for Local Government elections was exhaustive preferential.

What is the Writ for an election? :
A Writ is a document issued by the Administrator of the Northern Territory authorising the Electoral Commissioner to conduct an election for the Legislative Assembly and it sets out the dates for the election. The Commissioner is required to give public notice of receipt of the Writ. After the declaration of the poll, the Commissioner endorses the Writ with the names of the candidates returned as elected, and returns the Writ to the Administrator. In Local Government elections, a ‘notice inviting nominations’ indicates the opening of the election period.

What is the election timetable? :
Each election follows a timetable. In Legislative Assembly elections, dates are set by the Writ according to legislation. Local Government election timetables are also determined by legislation (general elections) and by the Electoral Commission (by-elections).

Who must vote in NT Legislative Assembly and Local Government elections? :
Voting is compulsory if you are on the electoral roll for the Northern Territory.

Why is voting compulsory? :
With the right to enrol and vote comes the responsibility to contribute to the way the Territory is run. Voting is a civic duty comparable to other duties citizens perform, like paying taxes, compulsorily attending school and performing jury duty. With compulsory voting, governments reflect more accurately the will of the people. Governments must consider the whole electorate when deciding policy formulation and management. Candidates can concentrate their campaigning energies on issues rather than on encouraging voters to attend the poll. Remember, your vote and how you mark your ballot paper is secret.

Where do I vote? :
Normally you will vote at your local polling place, generally a school or other community building. If you are a resident of an aged care or other facility, a hospital patient or a prison inmate (serving a term of less than three years) or live in a remote location, it is likely a team of electoral officials will be scheduled to visit and ensure you have an opportunity to cast a vote. You may be eligible to vote by post or at an early voting centre if you cannot attend a polling place on polling day. The location of all early voting centres, polling places and voting times will be advertised in Northern Territory newspapers after the election has been called. At election time, this website will contain details of early voting centres, polling places on polling day, and mobile polling schedules giving details of voting places, dates and times.

What time and date are polling places open? :
Early voting centres are open at advertised times as soon as possible after ballot papers are printed. Mobile polling places are open at advertised times beginning 10-12 days before polling day. Changes to mobile polling locations and times are only made in extreme circumstances and stakeholders are notified where possible. This website will be updated as and when required. Static polling places are open on polling day between 8am – 6pm.

What happens if I don’t vote? :
You may be sent a notice asking you to state your reason for apparently failing to vote. If your reason for not voting is considered not to be valid and sufficient, formal proceedings may be commenced against you.

What is the fine for not voting? :
If you fail to vote without a valid and sufficient reason you may be fined. The prescribed fee for failing to vote is $25 for Legislative Assembly elections. Payment of this amount fully discharges your liability in the matter. If the prescribed fee of $25 is not paid, you could be liable for court action which may result in a fine plus court costs and Victim of Crimes Levy. In Local Government elections failing to comply with the requirement to vote can incur a $50 infringement notice.

Can I vote on behalf of someone else? :
No. Even if you have a Power of Attorney you are not authorised to vote on behalf of another person.

How do I mark the ballot paper so that it will count for the candidate of my choice? :
Mark all squares on the ballot paper with sequential numbers, starting with ‘1’ in the order of your choice. DO NOT USE CROSSES OR TICKS. If two or more squares are blank, or a number is repeated or omitted then the ballot paper is informal and will not be counted.

Note: Candidates’ ‘how to vote’ cards may advise you how they want you to mark your ballot paper.

How do I find out the names and affiliations of the candidates? :
The NTEC does not have any responsibility to provide information on candidates’ affiliations.
However details that may be of assistance may be found :
** on the list of candidates published on this site at the time of an election
** in Northern Territory newspapers
** on the Legislative Assembly ballot paper – registered parties have their names placed next to the endorsed candidate on the ballot paper; independent candidates have no affiliation, and
** in ‘how to vote’ literature provided by campaign workers on polling day.

Note: candidate affiliations are not printed on the ballot paper in local government elections.

I have recently changed address from where I was previously enrolled. Where do I vote/what should I do? :
If you have updated your address on the electoral roll before the rolls closed for the election you can vote at any polling place in your enrolled area as an ordinary voter. If you did not change your details on the electoral roll for the election you will still be on the roll for your old address so you must provide that address when voting.

I will be elsewhere in the Territory on polling day, how do I vote? :
There are a number of ways you can vote :
** at any static polling place within the NT on polling day.
** If the polling place is outside your electoral division or council area you will cast an absent vote or
** if you are not able to get to a polling place on polling day, go to an early voting centre and cast an early vote or
** if the above are not appropriate you can apply for a postal vote to be sent to a nominated postal address or
** mobile polling teams visit many remote localities (communities) and the details are available in the mobile polling timetable.

What if I am interstate on polling day? :
You can either :
** apply for a postal vote or
** cast an early vote at an early voting centre before you go.

For a Legislative Assembly election you may be able to cast an early vote at an interstate State Electoral Office in the week before polling day.

What if I am overseas on polling day? :
There is no provision to allow you to vote in person at an overseas polling place in an NT election.

You can either :
** apply for a postal vote or
** cast an early vote at an early voting centre before you go.

Where do I get an application for a postal vote? :
You may :
** download the application for a postal vote from this website;
** pick up a copy of the form from any post office or the NTEC or
** telephone or send an email to the NTEC.

Note: different postal vote application forms are used for Legislative Assembly and local government elections. Please check that you select the correct form for the election at which you wish to vote.

When can I apply for a postal vote? :
You can apply for a postal vote during the three month period before an election.