THERE'S been lots of coverage of Saturday's federal election, but some of the most basic information - where and how to vote - has been hard to come by. Until now ...
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WHERE CAN I VOTE IN OR NEAR ORANGE ON SATURDAY?
THERE are at least 25 voting centres in and near Orange which will be open on Saturday. They are:
- Bloomfield Hall, Borenore Public School, Canobolas Public School, Cargo Public, Cudal Public School, Lucknow Hall, Manildra Memorial Hall, Millthorpe Public, Molong Hall, Mullion Creek Public School, Nashdale Public School, Anson Street Public School, Bletchington Public School, Bowen Public School, Calare Public School, Glenroi Heights Public School, Integra Health Club, Kenna Hall, Orange Anglican Grammar School, Orange High School, Orange Public School, St Barnabas' Hall, Spring Hill Public School, Spring Terrace Public School, Stuart Town Public School.
The polling places open between 8am and 6pm, when voting ceases.
WHERE CAN I CAST A PRE-POLL VOTE IN ORANGE?
FOR those who, for one reason or another, can't cast their vote on Saturday, the early voting centre is located at 121-125 Moulder Street, the same venue where pre-polling was conducted for the last Orange City Council elections.
MAP: Where is the early voting centre located ...
It opens at 8.30am, and will be operating from Monday to Friday during election week.
HOW DO I FILL IN THE BALLOT PAPERS?
YOU'RE in the booth, and you're alone with two sheets of paper and a pen or pencil stub attached to the booth with a string (can't be too careful these days).
Voting is a straightforward process. You make a choice, you register it on the ballot paper and your vote, along with those of your fellow citizens, contributes to the make-up of the next parliament. Every vote counts.
It's the fraught business of preferences, however, that seems to cause the most confusion, yet should be the simplest part of the business: you choose.
VIDEO: How to cast your votes ...
The Central Western Daily has fielded questions from people wanting to know where the parties are directing their preferences. The short answer is that you, not the parties, choose your preferences.
The parties will recommend a direction of preferences based on their prior discussions with other parties or independent candidates. These recommendations will be on the how-to-vote cards. However, you don't have to follow these recommendations if you want to direct your second, third or subsequent preferences elsewhere.
The small green ballot form is for the House of Representatives. In Calare we have seven candidates. For your vote to count, you must number every box, with your first choice at No.1, and then sequentially to seven.
The Senate paper is the large white paper. The party names are across the top above the line, while under the line are the names of the individual candidates for the Senate. For your vote to count, you must number either a minimum of six boxes above the line, if you wish to vote for parties; or a minimum of 12 boxes below the line if you wish to vote for individual candidates.
You can choose to follow the preference recommendations of the party or candidate receiving your No.1 vote, or you can choose to direct preferences as you feel appropriate.
The order in which the candidates and parties appear on the ballot form was determined by an independent ballot draw.
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