There is still more than a week to go before polling day, but early voting has begun with even the chief minister casting his ballot ahead of the ACT election. And while many voters will still wait until the 19th of October to make their decision at least one party has already ruled itself out of government.
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TVTranscript
00:00As staff opened the early voting centre in the city, there was already a gaggle of electors,
00:08many of whom had plans for election day.
00:11I'm voting early because I won't be here because it's my birthday weekend, so I'll be away
00:14celebrating.
00:15I didn't want to queue up.
00:18Mainly because on Saturdays I prefer to sleep.
00:22At the 2020 election, 70% of voters cast an early ballot, and the ACT Electoral Commission
00:29expects a similar early turnout this year.
00:32Electronic voting also remains prominent, with voters given QR-coded cards to scan at
00:37the booth.
00:38Our electronic voting system doesn't allow you to put ticks or crosses, it doesn't allow
00:42you to skip a number or repeat a number.
00:44It does, however, allow you to issue a blank informal ballot if you choose, and that is
00:50the elector's right to do so.
00:52Because ACT is also offering neurodiverse low-sensory voting, with booths spaced out
00:58far from the madding crowd.
01:00It's about giving an opportunity to those who require particular services or conditions
01:05in which to cast their vote in which they feel most comfortable.
01:08The Chief Minister joined the pre-polling queue with family, acknowledging it could
01:12take more than faith in the force to form government.
01:15We are very clear in our campaigning that we are also after preferences in addition
01:21to number one votes, and that is an important part of Hair Clark campaigning.
01:27Even so, the Independence for Canberra party say they want no part in a coalition, instead
01:32looking to Independent Senator David Pocock for inspiration if any of their candidates
01:37end up on the crossbench.
01:39People are impressed with his performance and how he moves amendments that improve legislation.
01:43He's not there to obstruct things, but to apply pressure to encourage the government
01:47to act on the things that they haven't been acting on.
01:50Sensory voting places will be open Monday to Saturday in the lead up to election day.