Last year’s local government elections debacle raised questions about voter rights, but ultimately had the positive result of improving the way the following state election was conducted last October.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Deb Frecklington was responding to a petition from 559 voters requesting that parliament address the problems “and ensure all elections are conducted in a professional manner (and) people have reasonable opportunity to vote.”
She said an independent evaluation had looked at “known election day issues, including wait times and ballot paper shortages at some booths on election day.”
Other problems raised in the petition included “lack of information regarding absentee voting, lack of staff and queues still waiting after official closing time.”
Ms Frecklington said the Electoral Commission Queensland had accepted all findings of the evaluation and implemented all recommendations of the review.
“The ECQ increased its capacity at early voting centres and election day polling booths, expanded early voting opening hours, increased the election workforce and (its) training and purchased over 4000 additional laptops,” she said.
Ms Frecklington said the petition outlined voter complaints including queues (of voters) still waiting after official closing time.
“This election was disorganised and under-resourced,” petitioners said.
It claimed 36 per cent of voters were dissatisfied with the polling process and 29 per cent of election day voters queued for more than 30 minutes.
It quoted a review finding that 70 per cent of the cost of local elections was carried by ratepayers, at a cost per elector between $10.40 and $13.40.
