First of 73,756 set to cast votes

VOTING has started in the critical Braddon by-election for residents unable to attend a polling booth on July 28.

At last count, 73,756 electors were eligible to vote in the sprawling North-West electorate, but come the next federal election in 2019, 78,497 will be eligible because of an AEC boundary adjustment.

In 2016, more than 20 per cent of votes were absentee, pre poll, postal or special hospital votes in Tasmania.

The Australian Electoral Officer for Tasmania, David Molnar, said there were clear qualifications for entitled electors to have an early vote, either at an early voting centre or by having a postal vote.

“If you are unable to attend any of the 65 polling places open in the federal electoral Division of Braddon on Saturday 28 July, you can vote early,” he said.

“However, taking the opportunity to have an early vote purely out of convenience or personal preference is not a valid reason under the Electoral Act.”

“Braddon voters who are travelling can vote early at any AEC divisional office across Australia.

A ReachTel poll has Liberal Brett Whiteley leading 42.9 per cent to Labor’s Justine Keay on 36.3 per cent on primary votes, although polling analyst Kevin Bonham says it is 50.5 to 49.5 in two-party preferred terms.