Make your vote count in the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council election.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Voters will be presented with two ballot papers - one for the mayoral election and another to elect eight councillors.
Each ballot paper contains directions for voting.
When it comes to the mayoral ballot paper, place the number 1 in the square next to the candidate of your choice, and if you wish to vote for any more candidates, place consecutive numbers starting with 2 in the squares next to those candidates in your order of choice.
Voters can fill out the councillors' ballot paper in one of two ways, either above the line or below the line.
Voters can place a number 1 in the square above the group of candidates for whom you wish to vote. By doing this, you are voting for that whole group of candidates in the order they are listed below that square, starting from the top.
If you want to vote for more candidates, place consecutive numbers beginning with the number 2 in the squares above the additional groups of candidates in order of your preferences for them.
That is known as above the line voting.
The other option is to vote below the line.
You can vote below the line if you want to vote for candidates within a group in the order of your choice, you want to vote for candidates from different groups in the order of your choice and if you want to vote for a mixture of grouped and ungrouped candidates.
To vote below the line, place the numbers 1,2,3, and 4 in the squares opposite the names of four candidates in the order of your preference for them.
If you want to vote for additional candidates, place consecutive numbers beginning with the number 5 in the squares opposite the names of those additional candidates in order of your preferences for them.
Voting in the council election is compulsory.
There are a total of 25 candidates vying for places at the council table.
In the running for mayor, in ballot paper order, are current mayor Peta Pinson, Steven Gates, Rachel Sheppard, current deputy mayor Lisa Intemann and Nik Lipovac.
Group A on the councillors' ballot paper is headed by Lisa Intemann, Nik Lipovac heads up group B and Lauren Edwards from The Greens is the lead candidate in Group C.
Peta Pinson heads up Group D and Rachel Sheppard is the lead candidate in Group E.
Jon Bailey is the only ungrouped candidate.
Early voting for the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council election opens on Monday [November 22] with five pre-polling places to choose from.
Early voting venues are open from Monday [November 22] to December 3 from Monday to Saturday between 9am and 5pm.
Pre-polling places are located at Camden Haven Scout Hall at 5 Tunis Street, Laurieton; Port Macquarie CWA Hall at 11 Horton Street; Port Macquarie south pre-poll at Shop 9, Lighthouse Plaza, 100 Ocean Drive; the Port Macquarie-Hastings Returning Officer's Office at 2B, 171 Lake Road, Port Macquarie; and the Wauchope CWA Hall at 51 High Street.
All voters are eligible to vote early in person ahead of the December 4 election day.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
Bookmark our website
Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
You can support us with a subscription
Follow us on Twitter: @portmacnews
Follow us on Instagram: @portmacnews
Follow us on Google News