Dungog residents will head to the polls on Saturday, May 21 to cast their votes in the federal election.
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Polling booths in Dungog, and right across Australia, will open at 8am and close at 6pm.
For those that are enrolled to vote, voting is compulsory.
About the division of Lyne
If you live within the Dungog Local Government Area, you will vote in the federal division of Lyne on May 21.
The electorate covers an area of 16,099 square kilometres. It extends from Ballengarra in the north to Paterson, Karuah and western suburbs of Port Stephens in the south and inland to the western boundaries of the shires of Greater Taree, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Gloucester, Dungog and part of Maitland.
The electorate is currently represented by Dr David Gillespie (The Nationals).
How do I vote?
At the polling booth you will be given two ballot papers - a small green one for the House of Representatives and a large white one for the Senate.
On the green ballot paper, you are voting for a representative of your local area or electorate in the House of Representatives. On this paper, the voter must number every box in order of their choice of candidate.
On the white ballot paper, you are voting for representatives from NSW in the Senate. With this paper, there are two ways to vote: above the line or below the line.
If you choose to vote above the line, you need to number at least six boxes in order of your preference of party or group. Putting a number one in the box next to the party or group that is your first choice, a number two next to your second choice and so on.
If you vote below the line, you need to number at least 12 boxes. While similar to voting above the line, when voting below the line you place a number next to the box of the individual candidates. Vote number one for your top preferred candidate, a number two next to your second choice and so on until you reach 12. You can continue to place number in order of your choice in as many boxes below the line as you would like.
Who are the candidates?
The House of Representatives candidates for the division of Lyne in order of how they will appear on the ballot are:
- Joanne Pearce - Independent
- Joel Putland - United Australia Party
- David Gillespie - National Party of Australia - NSW
- Alex Simpson - Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch)
- Steve Attkins - Independent
- Mark Hornshaw - Liberal Democratic Party
- Josephine Cashman - Pauline Hanson's One Nation
- Karl Attenborough - The Greens NSW
Read more on the candidates, and learn which issues they are campaigning on, here: Federal Election: Meet the candidates for Lyne.
For a list of who or which parties are running for NSW's Senate seats go to aec.gov.au/election/candidates.
Where can I vote in Dungog and surrounds?
- Dungog Public School
- Clarence Town Public School
- Stroud Road Public School
- Stroud Public School
- Gresford School of Arts
- Vacy Public School
- Paterson Public School
- Wallarobba Memorial Hall
Caught COVID and can't vote on May 21?
Emergency telephone voting has been introduced this election for voters who are required to isolate. Instructions on how to access this service will appear on the AEC website from Wednesday (close of postal voting applications).
To access this service you will need to register on the Australian Electoral Commission website and provide a positive PCR or rapid antigen test (RAT) that has been registered with NSW Health. Voters will need to provide proof of the date and time of their positive PCR result, or the serial number of their RAT.
The tele-voting service will be available to those who are required to be in COVID isolation for three days up to and including Election Day. That's Thursday, May 19, Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 21.
Close contacts to a positive COVID-19 case are no longer required to isolate in any Australian state or territory. Voters who are a close contact will still be required to vote on May 21.
Thousands of new staff have been hired by the AEC to help with the tele-voting process. It is only available to the COVID-affected or visually impaired.