Pre-poll voting opens on August 29 at 143a Horton Street, Port Macquarie, and Camden Haven Scout Hall at 5 Tunis Street, Laurieton.

The Wauchope Indoor Stadium pre-poll venue at 82-94 Cameron Street opens its doors on September 5.

Pre-poll voters must give a valid reason why they can’t vote on election day.

Returning officer Ken Raison said on Friday that election preparation had been smooth and they were preparing for the pre-poll period and the September 10 election.

More than 8000 people are expected to vote early at the Port Macquarie pre-poll venue.

At Laurieton, 2300 voters are expected through the doors of the pre-poll centre.

Some 1100 people are anticipated to cast early votes at the Wauchope pre-poll venue.

NSW Electoral Commissioner John Schmidt said postal and pre-poll voting continued to be very popular because there was no absent voting at council elections.

People can apply for a postal vote online at www.votensw.info or by calling 1300 135 736.

Applications must be received by 5pm on September 5.

Voters will elect the mayor and eight councillors to form the next Port Macquarie-Hastings Council.

Voting is compulsory for people enrolled to vote in the Port Macquarie-Hastings local government area.

Voters will receive two ballot papers – a mayoral ballot paper and another ballot paper for councillors.

There are 27 candidates contesting the election including three mayoral candidates.

Election officials will visit declared institutions, which are generally aged care facilities, in the second week of pre-poll voting.

Some of the declared institutions have chosen for their residents to cast postal votes.

There will be 31 polling places across the local government area on September 10.

Voters can learn more about the candidates at the Camden Haven Anglican Church’s meet the candidates forum on August 30 from 6.30pm at the church at 2 Mission Terrace, Lakewood.

Some 24 candidates are expected at the Residents Action Network’s meet the candidates forum from 5.30pm to 7.30pm on September 1 at Port City Bowling Club.

More than 3.3 million ballot papers are required across the state including about 2.29 million for councillor elections and 780,000 for mayoral elections. 

Not all councils across the state are going to the polls in September.

Elections for the newly merged councils are expected to be in September 2017.

Go to www.votensw.info for more information.