Tweed residents can vote early in the upcoming NSW Local Government election, with pre-polling starting on Monday 22 November across 5 venues.
A total of 58 candidates will contest the Tweed Shire Council election on Saturday 4 December following finalisation of the ballot sheet. The candidates make up 13 grouped tickets, with 2 candidates running on their own as individuals. For details on the candidates, visit the NSW Electoral Commission webpage.
Voting is compulsory in local government elections, with early voting or pre-polling available from 9 am to 5 pm from Monday 22 November to Saturday 27 November and from Monday 29 November to Friday 3 December 2021. Any person enrolled to vote may vote by pre-poll.
The NSW Electoral Commission, which is conducting the election on behalf of councils across NSW, will operate 5 pre-polling venues across the Tweed at:
NSW Electoral Commission Returning Office: Seagulls Club, Gollan Drive, Tweed Heads West
The Hub Baptist Centre, 19/20 Corporation Circuit, Tweed Heads South
Twin Towns Masonic Centre, 8 Boyd Street, Tweed Heads
Canvas and Kettle Room, Murwillumbah Civic Centre, Tumbulgum Road, Murwillumbah
Casuarina Beach Hockey Club, Barclay Drive, Casuarina
To find out your nearest polling venue, visit the NSW Electoral Commission’s Find My Electorate page. Polling venues will be open from 8 am to 6 pm on election day.
Postal voting has also been expanded for this election. Applications for postal voting have opened, and close at 5pm on Monday 29 November. Applications received after this time will not receive a postal vote pack. The deadline for returning completed postal votes has been extended this year as a result of COVID-19, with completed postal vote certificates being accepted up until 6 pm on Friday 17 December.
Similar iVote arrangements as exist for state elections will apply for this election, with iVote applications and voting to open on Monday 22 November. To check your eligibility for postal and iVote arrangements, visit the NSWEC website.
All 7 councillor positions at Tweed Shire Council will be contested at the poll. Councillors elected in December will serve a reduced term of 2 years and 8 months after the 2020 election was postponed due to COVID-19.
The declaration of the poll is expected to occur between 21 and 23 December, 2021, with an Extraordinary Meeting of the new Council to take place on Tuesday 11 January 2022 to elect the Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
Meanwhile, the NSW Electoral Commission is seeking additional workers at the polling booths this year, with increased staff required to help implement their COVID-Safe plan.
Anyone interested in working at the election is invited to register their interest with the NSW Electoral Commission at https://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/About-us/Work-with-us/Work-at-an-election.
