THE Port Macquarie News will provide rolling coverage of the federal election throughout Saturday on our website.

We will post updates from across the nation but with a specific focus on the Cowper electorate.

Join the conversation using the hashtag #Cowpervotes2016

Hastings voters must fill in their ballot papers correctly to ensure their vote counts in Saturday’s federal election, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) said today.

Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers said people will be asked to complete two ballot papers, for voting in the House of Representatives and in the Senate.

“Your vote is important, so please be careful when filling in each ballot paper,” Mr Rogers said.

On the green House of Representatives ballot paper, voters must number every box in their order of preference, starting at ‘1’ and continuing until they have consecutively numbered all the boxes.

Voting for the Senate has changed at this election.

Instructions on the white Senate ballot paper indicate that voters have the choice to either:

“While candidate representatives outside polling places may offer you ‘how to vote’ cards, the final decision rests with you.  It is a secret ballot which means no one will know how you have voted. Polling places open at 8am on Saturday and voting will continue through to 6pm sharp,” Mr Rogers said.

“If you can’t make it to a polling place on Saturday, early voting is still available on Friday up until 6pm at early voting locations around Australia.”

Cowper candidates in the order they appear on the ballot are:

1. Wayne Lawrence (Christian Democratic Party);

2. Michael Gough (Citizens Electoral Council);

3. Carol Vernon (The Greens);

4. Damian Wood (Labor);

5. Robert Oakeshott (Independent);

6. Luke Hartsuyker (The Nationals);

7. John Arkan (Independent).