By Tate Papworth
Brimbank residents won’t need to line up to vote in next year’s council election after Brimbank opted to once again use the postal voting method.
A council report said that the postal voting method offered greater voter convenience, costs less than an attendance election and has a higher rate of formal votes counted.
For the 2016 elections, the eligible voter rate (voter turnout plus informal voting) was 53.05 per cent for attendance elections, and 67.73 per cent for postal elections.
Cr Virginia Tachos said it was a good move.
“I think it’s a positive outcome. There’s evidence to show there was a higher level of voter turnout, there was a lower level of informal votes and there was a higher level of eligible votes counted,” she said.
“This alone paints a very strong and positive response as to why postal voting is a better voting option. It also gives time for the voters to assess the candidates they’re voting for, who they stand for, ask questions.”
Cr Tachos said that given Brimbank’s diverse community, provisions would need to be put in place to ensure information is provided in multiple languages to ensure it’s all understood.
The council elections will be held on October 24, 2020
