Page 38 - Conducting Elections during COVID-19

20 INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF CONDUCTING ELECTIONS DURING COVID-19

Preliminary results will be published as soon as they are available.

Standard 2: The AEC delivers a high-quality service
Achieved by:

AEC staff will be courteous and professional in all their dealings with the public and candidates.
Polling places will be inspected and assessed for accessibility. Polling place accessibility rankings will
be made available on the AEC website.
Enrolment claims received by the Close of Roll deadline will be processed in time for the by-election.

Postal vote packs will be dispatched upon receipt of a valid and complete application (once ballot
papers are available), according to the following timeline:
• Prior to the Monday before election day

- Paper postal vote applications – within five business days of receipt
- Online postal vote applications – within three business days of receipt.

• From the Monday before polling day
- Paper and online – within two business day of receipt.
Voting locations (including early voting centres and polling places) will open in accordance with
advertised dates and times.
Standard 3: Votes will be counted in accordance with the Electoral Act and the
public and stakeholders have confidence in the result

Achieved by:
After by-election night, accurate count information will be progressively updated on the AEC website.

Ballot papers (both used and unused) will be accounted for.
Standard 4: The public and stakeholders have confidence that the electoral
process is well managed

Achieved by:
The writ for the by-election will be returned in accordance with the relevant legislation.
The AEC’s conduct of the by-election is upheld in the event of any challenges to results taken to the
Court of Disputed Returns.
All instances of apparent multiple voting will be reviewed and dealt with in accordance with AEC policy
and procedures and within statutory timeframes.
All instances of apparent non-voting will be reviewed and dealt with in accordance with AEC policy and
procedures and within statutory timeframes.
Standard 5: By-election processes will conform with federal, state and local health
advice
Achieved by:

The by-election will be delivered in accordance with the COVID-19 operating model (incorporated in
this service plan) as endorsed by the Chief Medical Officer, and reviewed by NSW and ACT health
authorities.
Further information:

1. Information on the Eden-Monaro by-election

There will be in-person and postal voting options available for this by-election and it is important to
plan how you will cast your vote according to your personal circumstances. Information is available for
People with disability or mobility restrictions.