Dry vote urged in Cook poll

MAYOR Peter Scott will push to change the way votes are cast in Cook Shire and move election dates into the dry season after the electorate was singled out in a report into the conduct of local government elections.

The independent 2016 Local Government Election Inquiry recommended a new program to manage postal voting to address issues of timing, security, accuracy and convenience, especially in remote areas, after complaints from scrutineers and council candidates about damaged and incomplete ballot papers.

Last year’s election in March was held during the annual northern Australia wet season and 650 Cook Shire ballot papers were discarded while 500 were not returned.

But Cr Scott disputed the figures, saying only a quarter of votes were not counted.

“Sixty-five to 70 per cent returning formal votes is a good percentage, but one that could be improved with more polling options,” he said.

”I am pushing to change the date to October and move to a combined online, postal and booth ballot system.”

The total enrolment for the shire is 2415.

Cook Shire Residents and Ratepayers Association secretary Toni Leigh submitted complaints to the Electoral Commission Queensland and wants more education provided to remote postal voters as well as voting booths close to Cooktown.

“I was aware of issues in the 2012 election and I did run for council in 2016 so I had an interest in seeing what went on,” she said. “In our shire a lot of people live in remote areas and there was not enough time to get papers back because of slow postal services.”