South Australians stuck at home due to COVID isolation rules will be able to pick up ballot papers from a testing station in order to vote at the March 19 state election.
The SA Electoral Commission has announced that current PCR testing and RAT collection sites will double as ballot collection sites from Thursday March 17, until election day.
Voters who are COVID positive, close contacts, or have COVID symptoms will be able to register online before being invited to collect a voting pack from one of the sites.
The plan will require Police Commissioner Grant Stevens to alter directions under the Emergency Management Act, so voters have permission to leave home to collect their ballot papers and post their completed ballot papers while still in isolation.
Electoral Commissioner Mick Sherry said the arrangements had been negotiated with SA Health, SA Pathology and police.
“Allowing PCR and RAT sites to double as voting pack collection points will allow South Australians who are in isolation or have COVID-19 the opportunity to safely cast their vote this state election,” he said.
The developments come a week after crossbench and Opposition MPs staged a sit-in in state Parliament, urging the government to recall the House of Assembly to debate changes to the Electoral Act to allow for telephone voting.
More to come.
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