When the Federal election was announced, the Australian Ski Areas Association and the Victorian Alpine Resort Management Boards contacted the Australian Electoral Commission to advise it of the need to have polling stations in the major Alpine Resorts.
To date, the Victorian Alpine Resorts have been advised that on-mountain polling booths cannot be gazetted in time for the coming election.
While Mt Buller was once considered a gazetted polling booth location, the small number of people using it - as Federal elections have traditionally been held in the quieter summer months - meant that it was discontinued.
The Resorts will continue to lobby for on-mountain polling booths but the Australian Electoral Commission is recommending that temporary staff and holiday-makers in the alpine regions lodge an early or postal vote:
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Postal Vote - application forms for a postal vote can be obtained from all post offices and from the Australian Electoral Commission website - www.aec.gov.au/election/pva.htm. Postal vote applications must be submitted to the Australian Electoral Commission no later than 13 August.
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Pre Poll or Early Voting - voters can attend any divisional Australian Electoral Commission office and cast their vote from 2 August. From 9 August there will be other locations available for pre poll and early voting - details of such locations will be available on the Australian Electoral Commission website.
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On Election day voters can cast an ordinary vote at any polling booth in their electoral division from 8am to 6pm, or they can cast an absentee vote at any polling booth from 8am to 6pm.
Should you have any queries, please contact the Australian Electoral Commission on 13 23 26.
