Council & Politics
28 April, 2025
Early voting begins
Early voting is underway in ARARAT as voters decide who’ll represent us in the federal parliament for the next three years.
Early voting is underway in ARARAT as voters decide who’ll represent us in the federal parliament for the next three years.
The Early Voting Centre at the Holy Spirit Centre (Catholic Church) on Barkly Street has had a steady flow of voters through the door since opening on Tuesday.
Given past trends in early voting, the AEC anticipates that approximately half of all voters will cast their vote during the early voting period (a combination of in-person early votes, mobile and postal voting).
The Ararat Early Voting Centre is closed today (Friday) but will reopen tomorrow from 9am to 4pm.
It will also be open next Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5.30pm and next Friday the 2nd of May from 9am to 6pm.
Australian Electoral Commissioner Jeff Pope said early voting should only be an option for people if they cannot make a polling centre on election day.
“If you can vote on election day Saturday 3 May then that is what you need to do. If you can’t then you can vote at one of our many early voting centres across the country. I encourage all voters to consider their circumstances and plan their vote,” Mr Pope said.
“The bulk of our work still happens on election day, but for a variety of reasons it’s clear from past elections that more Australians are needing to access early voting options. Just over half of all voters cast an early vote, including a postal vote in 2022, and we expect that number to be similar this year,” he said.
On election day, Saturday 3rd of May, a number of polling booths will operate in the Ararat region from 8am to 6pm including Ararat College, Ararat Senior Citizens Rooms, Elmhurst Mechanics Institute, Willaura Primary School, Great Western Primary School, Lake Bolac P-12 College, Halls Gap Primary School and Moyston Public Hall.
There are no polling centres this election in Pomonal, Streatham and Buangor.