1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,600 Speaker 1: Joining me on the line right now, will head across 2 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: straight away because joining me on the line right now 3 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: is the Northern Territories Electoral Commissioner, Kirsten Kelly. Good morning 4 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:12,799 Speaker 1: to your commissioner. Good morning, thanks so much for your 5 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,279 Speaker 1: time this morning. Now, Commissioner, I'm just reading obviously this 6 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 1: statement that's come through from the City of Darwin. So 7 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,439 Speaker 1: this we now know that Leah Potter had filed against 8 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 1: the City of Darwin and the Northern Territory Electoral Commission 9 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 1: in the Supreme Court. The application sought injunctive relief on 10 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: some matters relating to the early voting centers. From your perspective, 11 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 1: what does this now mean for the local government elections? 12 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 2: So you correct that, and we've just seen the media 13 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 2: release as well. So the Anti Electoral Commission was named 14 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 2: as the second defendant in that injunction application which was 15 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:53,200 Speaker 2: heard in the Supreme Court yesterday. The application was primarily 16 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 2: an injunction against the City of Darwin. The plaintiff did 17 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 2: seek a number of orders, one of which was for 18 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 2: the ntech team handle the candidate how to vote campaign materials, 19 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 2: and the antech opposed that and the court didn't make 20 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,679 Speaker 2: any orders regarding those lines. So the ANTECH is not 21 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 2: providing or managing the how to vote tables at any 22 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 2: venues in this election. So there were no formal orders 23 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:16,840 Speaker 2: made and the statement that was released by City of 24 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,760 Speaker 2: Darwin provides the undertakings that were agreed between the City 25 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:21,959 Speaker 2: of Darwen and the plaintiff. 26 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: I mean, it's all, I suppose, quite confusing for me, 27 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: and I'm pretty experienced when it comes to elections, so 28 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 1: I would imagine a lot of people listening this morning 29 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 1: are feeling quite confused. So does it now mean that 30 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: if they go if you know, a territory and goes 31 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: to vote today or tomorrow, that there will be candidates 32 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 1: there able to campaign and able to approach them or 33 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 1: talk to them. 34 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 2: So for the early voting period, so again the Anti 35 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 2: Electric Commission will manage the ten meter prohibition zone and 36 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 2: the actual voting center itself, so outside of that City 37 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 2: of Darwin as a landowner, is responsible. So what happened 38 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 2: yesterday was that an injunction application was made and today 39 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 2: the City of Darwin has released information which to support 40 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 2: voters is that they won't be issuing any infringement notice 41 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 2: to candidates who are reasonably canvassing and interacting with voters 42 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 2: at the City of Darwin, Casarina and City early voting center. 43 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 2: So if candidates are reasonably canvassing and interacting with voters 44 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 2: at those locations, then there are no infringement notices will 45 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 2: be issued and that the how to vote tables will 46 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 2: continue to be maintained and available through the early voting 47 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 2: period and campaigning is permitted as was always a case 48 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 2: on election day. 49 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 1: But so they still have to be ten meters away 50 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 1: from those doors, right. 51 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,519 Speaker 2: That's correct. So under the local government electoral rules and 52 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,360 Speaker 2: the local government election regulations, it's an offense to canvas 53 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:53,519 Speaker 2: for votes within ten meters of the entrance to a 54 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 2: voting center. 55 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: I mean, is this a bit of an embarrassing situation 56 00:02:57,800 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: for the council and the electoral Commission. 57 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 2: I think that there's always challenges during elections in canvassing, 58 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 2: and there has been in the past similar rules where 59 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:14,079 Speaker 2: landowners have applied restrictions outside that ten meters. So it's 60 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 2: certainly something that there's an opportunity for it to be clarified. 61 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 2: And then that was clarified yesterday through an injunction application 62 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 2: for the Supreme Court, and. 63 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 1: So I know, it's still a few days to get 64 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:26,639 Speaker 1: through Commissioner, but I'm assuming that this is going to 65 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: be something that's really looked into for future, you know, 66 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 1: for future council elections. 67 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 2: Absolutely. So at the end of every election, the Electoral 68 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 2: Commission repair prepares a report and that looks at the 69 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 2: electoral reform, It looks at operational reform, and it looks 70 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 2: that it's potentially even case studies that we include in 71 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 2: election reports and have in the past regarding events and 72 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 2: things that have occurred during the election and looking for 73 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 2: opportunities to improve that for the future. 74 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: All right, let's talk about the next few days in 75 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: terms of what people need to do and just how 76 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 1: long they've got to get out there and vote if 77 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: they haven't done so already. First off, where are we 78 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: at in terms of the numbers of how many people 79 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: that have early voted? 80 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 2: So very important. So we've got two more days left, 81 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 2: so including today and tomorrow of early voting, so we've 82 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 2: got an extra hour available tomorrow we're voting. Early voting 83 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 2: is available from eight until six o'clock and then early 84 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 2: voting concludes. So where we're currently sitting is thirty four 85 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 2: thousand and eleven electors have early voted and that's through 86 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:30,360 Speaker 2: early voting center's remote and urban mobile teams. So that's 87 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 2: about twenty five percent of the eligible voting population, so 88 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 2: quite a good turnout compared to twenty one early voting 89 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 2: votes issue through early voting centers with thirty seven thousand, 90 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 2: just thirty seven and a half thousand, So we're all 91 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 2: already out thirty five thousand with sorry thirty four thousand 92 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 2: with two days of early voting to go. So if 93 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 2: anyone isn't able to vote on election day, please take 94 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:56,599 Speaker 2: the opportunity, if you're ready to vote now, to attend 95 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:57,599 Speaker 2: a early voting center. 96 00:04:57,720 --> 00:04:59,839 Speaker 1: So can you just remind our listeners. I know some 97 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 1: of them will know, but can you just remind our 98 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: listeners where they can vote and what the voting like, 99 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: what the hours are going to be that those centers. 100 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:12,480 Speaker 2: Operate, So the on election day, yeah, yeah, So in 101 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 2: Darwen there'll be the AA and T Center or the 102 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 2: formerly the Darwen Entertainment Center will be an election day 103 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:23,239 Speaker 2: voting center and voting will be available from eight until 104 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 2: six on election day Nightcliffe Middle School is another election 105 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 2: day voting centers from eight to six as well as 106 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 2: is Sanderson Middle School and Casuarina Library, So it's really 107 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:37,160 Speaker 2: important if you're out of your council. So if you're 108 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 2: in Alice Springs and in Darwin for the weekend and 109 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 2: want to vote, you'll need to vote at the Darwin 110 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 2: City voting Center because the other voting centers will just 111 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:47,880 Speaker 2: have the ballot papers for the city of Darwin count 112 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 2: Rum and same with Palmerston. There's only certain voting centers 113 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 2: if you're out of your council week and be receiving 114 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,160 Speaker 2: ballot papers, so look on our website for those locations. 115 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 2: I will say that there are are some locations that 116 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:04,159 Speaker 2: we're voting centers in the twenty twenty one election that 117 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 2: aren't going to be used for this election, so it's 118 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 2: really important that you look on the website or call 119 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:11,880 Speaker 2: the service center to find where they are. We are 120 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:15,280 Speaker 2: putting signage on those locations today just to let people 121 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 2: know that they aren't voting centers. And catering a library 122 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 2: as a voting center is quite a popular and busy one, 123 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:23,920 Speaker 2: so suggest on election day because it can get quite 124 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,160 Speaker 2: busy there. If you're able to vote at Nightcliff Middle 125 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 2: School or Sanderson Middle School, they might be better locations 126 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 2: to avoid having to wait. 127 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 1: Commissioner, do you usually see a mad rush in the 128 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 1: final days of early voting? Are you expecting those numbers 129 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:38,840 Speaker 1: to sort of pump right up over the coming days? 130 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, so usually on the Friday, because we have that 131 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 2: extra hour at the end of the day, people are 132 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 2: on their way home from work, they tend to pop 133 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 2: in for that final early voting opportunity. And then election 134 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 2: Day we don't see as many people turn out as 135 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 2: we do in early voting. And obviously there's one day 136 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 2: versus like a two week period of early voting, so 137 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:03,479 Speaker 2: certainly there's three days left. Basically, that's the message today 138 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 2: and tomorrow until six and then election days on Saturday, 139 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,360 Speaker 2: and if you have got your mobile phone or email 140 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 2: registered on your election enrollment, we will be sending a 141 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 2: reminder text to those electors just to say that on 142 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 2: Saturday if they if they haven't voted, that today's the 143 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 2: last opportunity, so take advantage of those options. 144 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 1: And in terms of the postal votes, when do they 145 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: need to be completed? 146 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 2: So you're here. So we've issued four hundred and eighty 147 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 2: nine postal votes and of that one thousand seven hundred 148 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 2: and sixty one have been returned and will have been 149 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 2: admitted and will be counted when we start the count. 150 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: So postal votes have to be returned by the fifth Friday, 151 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 2: the fifth of September, and we have to have received 152 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 2: them by before twelve noon for them to be added. 153 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 2: So there's a little bit of time. But the really 154 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 2: important thing for postal voters is that you have to 155 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 2: have completed your ballot paper by six pm on election 156 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 2: day high time, and then to make sure that you 157 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 2: actually sign and declare put the day in time that 158 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 2: you've completed that ballot paper and then you've got a 159 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 2: little bit of time to get it back to us. 160 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 2: But certainly encage people to use the reply paid envelope 161 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:11,239 Speaker 2: that they've been given and pop it in the mail, 162 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 2: or they can return it directly to our office in 163 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 2: Darwin as well or in our springs now Commissioner. 164 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: Obviously we're getting to the pointy end in terms of 165 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: the final days, and then on Saturday, that's the final 166 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 1: day people can vote, you know, to go in there 167 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 1: and vote. What's involved in the vote counting process and 168 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 1: how soon could we expect to see some of those 169 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: results flowing through do you think. 170 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 2: So we cannot open physically open any boxes until after 171 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 2: voting concludes. So the actual count process starts in scrutiney 172 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 2: centers from six pm. So we have two scrutiney centers 173 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 2: in Darwin and one in Ola Springs and that's where 174 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 2: all of the early votes will be counted. All of 175 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:55,640 Speaker 2: the election day voting centers become scrutiney centers after six 176 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:58,320 Speaker 2: pm and so the voting center staff will count that 177 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 2: the votes that are issued on election day. So the 178 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 2: first forty minutes an hour sometimes depending on how big 179 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 2: the accounts are, is basically unfolding, So opening the ballot 180 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 2: box and unfolding and sorting, that's all done under scrutiny. 181 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:15,840 Speaker 2: So there'll be an opportunity to start seeing results come 182 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:19,080 Speaker 2: through from six pm on election night and they'll be 183 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:22,960 Speaker 2: available on the ntech website. So really important that election 184 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 2: night we're doing a primary count, so we're looking at 185 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 2: a preliminary count, but all ballot papers again will be 186 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 2: looked at again from Monday, and that's really important to know. 187 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:34,840 Speaker 2: So the first night is that indicative count where we're 188 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 2: looking at the ones and looking at informality, but there 189 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 2: will be a recheck and a further scrutiny again, with 190 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 2: scrutiny as in attendance over a two week period where 191 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:47,559 Speaker 2: we look at those ballot papers again. 192 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: And in terms of you know, this is a question 193 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 1: we get asked regularly in terms of the preferences. You know, 194 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: if somebody gets enough votes on their primary votes, do 195 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: those preferences still come into play? How does it work? 196 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, So it's probably important to distinguish between where you 197 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:08,079 Speaker 2: have an election where there's only one vacancy, So where 198 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 2: you have an election so it might be the mayor 199 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:12,360 Speaker 2: position where there's one vacancy, or some wards only have 200 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 2: one vacancy as well. So in those instances, a person 201 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 2: to be elected has to achieve fifty percent of the 202 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 2: first preference votes and that has to be the formal vote. 203 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:23,839 Speaker 2: So you need to actually work out what the formal 204 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:26,680 Speaker 2: votes are to be able to work out who's elected. 205 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 2: And sometimes when we have quite a number where we've 206 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 2: got like four six and a half thousand postal votes 207 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:34,599 Speaker 2: and they don't have to be returned until the fifth 208 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 2: of September, it's not always easy to understand how many 209 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 2: formal votes you have to work out what your fifty 210 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 2: percent is or what your quota is, So that's the 211 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 2: first thing. So secondly, where you have multiple vacancies or 212 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 2: proportional representation voting, you might have number of candidates that 213 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:55,200 Speaker 2: have to achieve a quota to be elected, but there's 214 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 2: more than one position, so we can't work out that 215 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:01,960 Speaker 2: quota until we know how many formal ballot papers have 216 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 2: been admitted to the count, and that will happen at 217 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:07,439 Speaker 2: the close of votes, so you'll always have your number 218 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:09,199 Speaker 2: of votes countered and you'll be able to see where 219 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 2: the first preferences are and those results will be published, 220 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 2: but it takes that full count period to be able 221 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 2: to go through. For the multi vacancy positions, we use 222 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 2: easy count software enter those because when someone is elected, 223 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:26,719 Speaker 2: they have to achieve a quota. So you're quite right, 224 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 2: and someone can achieve a quota on a first preference count, 225 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 2: they can achieve a quota where surplus votes from a 226 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 2: candidate are transferred to them, and they can achieve a 227 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 2: quota if a person is excluded because they've had the 228 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:41,920 Speaker 2: lowest number of counts and their second preferences move. So 229 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:44,959 Speaker 2: it's quite complicated the process, but. 230 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, it sounds like it will be. It sounds like 231 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 1: it's going to be a busy, busy day for you 232 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: guys on Saturday. What day do you sort of call 233 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:55,679 Speaker 1: it quits in terms of counting votes on Saturday night 234 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 1: and then cracking back into it the following day. 235 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, So we have a tigue management strategy, So a 236 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 2: lot of our staff work obviously quite long hours on 237 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:06,200 Speaker 2: election day, so it's important that they're quite rested. But 238 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 2: we do bring in count teams to support the count process. 239 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 2: So we do have a policy where we will conclude 240 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 2: counts or not start new counts from ten thirty unless 241 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 2: there's a good reason to do that or approvals given, 242 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 2: and then we won't be counting again until the Monday, 243 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 2: when we'll start to do the fresh scrutiny and looking 244 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 2: at all the ballot papers again and then starting to 245 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:29,319 Speaker 2: batch all of the ballot papers to be entered into 246 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 2: the easy count software. So it is a long day 247 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 2: for the staff, and we are mindful of the balance 248 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 2: of getting results out but also making sure that staff 249 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 2: are aren't fatigued. 250 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:42,839 Speaker 1: Commission, I know you've answered this one for me before, 251 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 1: but I want to ask again in terms of people 252 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 1: who do not turn up to vote, are they going 253 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 1: to be fined? 254 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 2: So it is compulsory to vote in Northern Terrisor elections, 255 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 2: and it is compulsory vote in local counts elections, and 256 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:58,560 Speaker 2: in some jurisdictions it isn't for local governments. We make 257 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,080 Speaker 2: that really important point. Some one has moved to the 258 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,600 Speaker 2: territory from another jurisdiction. So at the end of the 259 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:06,319 Speaker 2: election we'll look at the non voter data and then 260 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 2: we'll make a decision whether we'll be issuing infringement notices 261 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:11,840 Speaker 2: for failing to vote. 262 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 1: Well, Northern Territory Electoral Commissioner, Kirst and Kelly really appreciate 263 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 1: your time this morning. All the best for the coming days. 264 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:20,959 Speaker 2: Thanks so much, have a great day. 265 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:21,560 Speaker 1: Thank you.