THE countdown is on to return ballot packs with voting closing at 6 pm today. Ballot packs were mailed to over 4.4M voters from Monday, October 7, and the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) said it had received 61.33 per cent back at the close of business on Thursday.
Postal votes can be dropped off at election offices by 6 pm today and those mailed by 6 pm tonight can be accepted until 12 noon on Friday, November 1.
The Greater Shepparton election office is located at the Senior Citizens Centre, 132 Welsford Street, Shepparton.
The overall statewide turnout rate at the last local government election in 2020 was 81.47 per cent, with the final turnout for 2024 likely to be known after the close of the postal vote receipt period on November 1.
Electoral Commissioner Sven Bluemmel said that although some issues had been raised regarding the non-receipt of ballot packs and changes of addresses, the VEC worked closely with Australia Post to deliver over 100,000 replacement ballot packs, many of which were to alternative addresses since the close of the roll.
Extraction of ballot papers from envelopes commences from tomorrow, with counting commencing on Monday.
‘The counting of votes will take place over the next three weeks locally within each council wherever possible,’ Mr Bluemmel said.
The VEC anticipates that all elections will be declared by Friday, November 15.
