Five candidates for Rockhampton Division 3 Councillor by-election

More than 7,600 Division 3 voters are expected to return to the polls on Saturday 13 March, following the election of the incumbent councillor, Tony Williams to the role of mayor in early February.

The ballot paper order draw has been completed and the five candidates are: Deanna Beatson, Dave Bauer, Grant Mathers, Leyland Barnett, and Christian Shepherd.

The Local Government Act requires councils to choose whether to conduct a by-election or appoint a runner-up to a councillor's position, should it become vacant within 12 months of a local government election.

As Cr Williams was elected unopposed in last year's local government elections, a by-election is required.

The Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) Commissioner Pat Vidgen said the voting system for the Division 3 by-election as determined in the Local Government Electoral Act is optional preferential voting.

"Optional preferential voting is the same system Rockhampton electors used in the recent mayoral election," Mr Vidgen said.

"To make their vote count, electors can choose to number one, some, or all of the boxes on their ballot paper.

"I remind electors that voting is compulsory."

Mr Vidgen said electors interesting in applying for a postal vote can do so online at ecq.qld.gov.au prior to 7pm on Monday 1 March.

"For the Division 3 election, voters must have completed their vote by 6pm on election day at the latest and returned it in the Reply-Paid envelope by the deadline of Tuesday 23 March," he said.

"My message to postal voters is not to wait, but to complete their vote and send it back to the ECQ as soon as they receive it.

"In recent elections Rockhampton postal voters have been very prompt in completing their ballot paper and returning it to the ECQ, and this has helped streamline the counting and declaration process."

Early voting for the Division 3 Councillor begins Monday 1 March to Friday 12 March.

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