Your official guide to the 2018 Wentworth by-election
The Wentworth by-election will be held on Saturday 20 October 2018.
This guide is only relevant to people who are enrolled to vote in the federal electoral Division of Wentworth in New South Wales.
If you are blind or have low vision, or otherwise need assistance to vote, this is available at the polling place.
If you are unable to attend a polling place, you may be able to vote by telephone or by post.
Why is there a by-election?
You will be voting for a representative for the federal electoral Division of Wentworth in the House of Representatives.
This by-election is being held following the resignation of the member for Wentworth.
Who has to vote?
If you are enrolled in the federal electoral Division of Wentworth, you are required to vote in the by-election.
If you are not sure if you are enrolled in the Division of Wentworth, you should check your enrolment information at www.aec.gov.au/check, or call the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) on 13 23 26 if you need help.
Additional information for people who are blind or have low vision
Telephone voting
Voters who are blind or have low vision can cast a vote by telephone from any location by calling 1800 913993.
Telephone voting is a simple two-step process and AEC voting assistants are available to assist you through the process.
Step 1: Call to register
If you wish to vote by telephone, you must first register by calling 1800 913 993.
Registration is available on weekdays between 8.30am and 5.30pm Sydney local time from Tuesday 2 October until Friday 19 October 2018. It is also available from 8am to 12 midday Sydney local time on Saturday 20 October 2018.
You will be asked questions to check your details on the electoral roll, and will be asked to choose a PIN number.
You will then receive a telephone voting registration number by your choice of an email, SMS, phone call or postal mail.
Step 2: Call to vote
Once you have received your registration number and chosen your PIN, you will need to call again to cast your vote.
Telephone voting will commence from Tuesday 2 October 2018.
Voting will be available on weekdays between 8.30am and 5.30pm Sydney local time. It will also be available from 8am to 6pm Sydney local time on Saturday 20 October 2018.
To cast your vote, call 1800 913 993.
When you call, do not give your name.
Please have your telephone voting registration number and chosen PIN number ready.
With these numbers you can vote without giving your name, and these will be used to mark you off the electoral roll.
An AEC voting assistant will record your vote. A second voting assistant will ensure your vote is recorded as you intended.
Your vote remains secret because the AEC voting assistant will not know your name or address.
Once your vote is complete, the voting assistant will place the ballot paper into a secure ballot box.
Remember, you have until 12 midday Sydney local time on Saturday 20 October 2018 to register, and until 6pm Sydney local time to cast your vote.
What if I can’t make it on by-election day?
If you can’t make it to a polling place in the federal electoral Division of Wentworth on by-election day, you may be entitled to vote early.
For more information about early voting eligibility, visit www.aec.gov.au/wentworth or call the AEC on 13 23 26.
Early voting options are described as follows.
By post
You can apply for a postal vote online at: www.aec.gov.au/pva.
Application forms are also available from AEC offices. To find your closest AEC office, go to www.aec.gov.au/contact or call the AEC on 13 23 26.
The AEC must receive your postal vote application as soon as possible and by no later than 6pm Sydney local time Wednesday 17 October 2018.
In person
If you are entitled to vote early, you can vote at an early voting centre or an AEC office from Tuesday 2 October to Friday 19 October 2018.
Visit www.aec.gov.au/wentworth to check the opening dates and hours of each early voting centre.
Each early voting centre is given an accessibility rating to assist people with disabilities or mobility restrictions.
You can check the accessibility rating and details of polling places at www.aec.gov.au/wentworth.
You can click on the rating listed against each polling place to find out more about its specific accessibility features.
The following is a list of early voting centres for the Wentworth by-election, ordered alphabetically by suburb name.
BONDI JUNCTION
Margaret Whitlam Recreation Centre
Waverley Park, Bondi Road
PADDINGTON
St Matthias’ Anglican Church
471–475 Oxford Street
ROSE BAY
785 New South Head Road
SYDNEY
142–148 Elizabeth Street
How do I vote in person on by-election day?
If you are able to attend a polling place on by-election day, Saturday 20 October 2018, please note that polling places open at 8am and close at 6pm sharp.
If you need assistance to vote at a polling place, you can ask someone there to help you.
Polling place staff are trained to assist you, or you can nominate any person (other than a candidate) to help you.
This could be a friend, relative or a party worker. If you do not nominate someone, then the polling official in charge may provide assistance.
Each polling place is given an accessibility rating to assist people with disabilities or mobility restrictions.
You can check the accessibility rating and details of polling places at www.aec.gov.au/wentworth.
You can click on the rating listed against each polling place to find out more about its specific accessibility features.
What happens at the polling place?
1. A polling official will ask for your full name and address, and if you have voted before in the 2018 Wentworth by-election. Your name will be marked off the electoral roll.
2. You will be given your green ballot paper for the House of Representatives. If you are able to, read the instructions on the ballot paper carefully, otherwise polling place staff or your nominated assistant can read out the instructions to you.
3. Complete your ballot paper. You must number every box to make your vote count. If you have nominated an assistant, this person can read the content of the ballot paper out to you, and then completes it according to your preferences.
4. Once you have completed your ballot paper, fold it and place in the ballot box provided.
Remember, if you need help, you can ask a polling official.
Where can I vote on by-election day?
You can vote at any polling place in operation for the federal electoral Division of Wentworth on by-election day.
At the time of producing this guide, the locations of some polling places were yet to be confirmed. Final locations are published and available at www.aec.gov.au/wentworth.
The following is a list of polling places, ordered alphabetically by suburb name.
BELLEVUE HILL
Cooper Park Community Hall
Bellevue Hill Public School
BONDI
Bondi Public School
St Patrick’s Hall
BONDI BEACH
Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club
Bondi Beach Public School
Wairoa Public School
BONDI JUNCTION
Church in the Market Place
Margaret Whitlam Recreation Centre
Mill Hill Centre
BRONTE
Clovelly Public School
Bronte Public School
CLOVELLY
St Luke’s Anglican Church
Clovelly Surf Life Saving Club
DARLING POINT
St Mark’s Church
DARLINGHURST
Darlinghurst Public School
DOUBLE BAY
Double Bay Public School
Sherbrook Hall
DOVER HEIGHTS
Rose Bay Secondary College (Dover Heights Campus)
EDGECLIFF
St Joseph’s Parish Centre
ELIZABETH BAY
Reginald Murphy Activity Centre
PADDINGTON
Paddington Public School
St George’s Anglican Church
St Matthias’ Anglican Church
POTTS POINT
St Canice’s Church Hall
RANDWICK
Randwick Literary Institute
ROSE BAY
Rose Bay Public School
St Andrew’s Scots Church Hall
VAUCLUSE
Vaucluse Bowling Club
St Michael’s Anglican Church
WATSONS BAY
Gunyah Scout Hall
WAVERLEY
Waverley College Hall
Waverley Public School
WOOLLAHRA
Holdsworth Community Centre
Woollahra Public School
How to make your vote count
For the Wentworth by-election, you will be given a green ballot paper.
You will be voting for a representative for the federal electoral Division of Wentworth in the House of Representatives.
Number every box in the order of your choice.
Don’t worry if you make a mistake. You can ask for another ballot paper and start again.
You can practise voting at www.aec.gov.au/practise-voting.
Accessible information
Other accessible formats of this guide
This guide is also available in other accessible formats.
You can download an audio MP3, e-text or a large print PDF format from www.aec.gov.au/assisted.
Alternatively, you can call the AEC on 13 23 26 to have a braille, e-text, audio or large print format sent to you.
Other assistance
People who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment can contact us through the National Relay Service (NRS):
- TTY users phone 13 3677 and quote 13 23 26.
- Speak and Listen users phone 1300 555 727 and quote 13 23 26.
- Internet relay users connect to the NRS then ask for 13 23 26.
For information about voting and elections in other languages call the number listed next to your preferred language.
The following is a list of phone numbers ordered alphabetically by language.
Cantonese: 1300 720 135
Croatian: 1300 720 136
Greek: 1300 720 137
Italian: 1300 720 138
Khmer: 1300 720 134
Korean: 1300 720 468
Macedonian: 1300 720 139
Mandarin: 1300 720 142
Polish: 1300 720 143
Portuguese: 1300 720 145
Russian: 1300 720 146
Serbian: 1300 720 147
Spanish: 1300 720 148
Turkish: 1300 720 149
Vietnamese: 1300 720 152
Other languages: 1300 720 153
List of candidates
The list of candidates contesting the Wentworth by-election is now available.
You can listen to the list of candidates at www.aec.gov.au/wentworth by using the Read Speaker application on the AEC’s website to read the content aloud.
You can also save content from the AEC’s website, including the list of candidates, as an MP3 file by using the Read Speaker application.
The list of candidates is also available in accessible formats at www.aec.gov.au/assisted.
Alternatively, you can request a copy of the list of candidates to be sent to you in e-text, large print, braille or audio formats by calling the AEC on 13 23 26.
Authorised by the Australian Electoral Officer for New South Wales, Haymarket