A polling site at Hunter’s Newsagency in Fitzmaurice St, Wagga. Picture: Shri Gayathirie Rajen.
Politicians are trumpeting for your vote, but without the silent army who have assembled from within our community, today’s election wouldn’t happen.
More than 100,000 people will step away from their usual lives to work on the election and chances are you know at least a few of them.
They have been employed by the Australian Electoral Commission on a temporary basis – a challenging task in the country with a low unemployment rate and chronic skill shortage. Retirees and students blend in with everyday workers who have taken the opportunity to earn a bit of extra cash on the weekend.
In the Riverina, more than 650 people will be working at more than 90 polling places on polling day and at the more than 10 early voting centres in the lead-up to Saturday.
In Canberra there will be more than 100 polling places open on election day, and there are more than 25 early voting centres.
In Wollongong’s Division of Cunningham there will be more than 50 polling places on election day and there are more than five early voting centres.
Under the Australian Electoral Commission rules for work, no staff are allowed to speak to the media without clearance and strictly no social media posts about working on polling day are permitted because the priority is to ensure election day runs as smoothly as possible and without any ideological interference.
To be selected to work on elections with the AEC, potential workers must complete three online training modules and pass the tests at the end. So rigorous is the training, even seasoned workers who’ve done many past elections must complete the same training.
Every person who is working on election day has received a personal thank you via video message from the Australian Electoral Commission’s acting Electoral Commissioner Jeff Pope, who said that everyone who put up their hand to work on the federal election is a champion for Australian democracy.
“Australia’s electoral system is one of the fairest and most open of any in the world and elections really are a fundamental part of our democratic process,” Mr Pope said.
“To maintain the confidence of Australian voters, the AEC is focussed on ensuring we deliver trusted, consistently reliable, high quality, and high integrity elections.
“The work [the AEC Election workforce] are doing will further enhance the reputation of Australia’s democracy, through professionalism, integrity, and above all … strict adherence to our procedures.”
Voters on their way into the polling booths get the chat from parties hoping to sway their vote. Photo: Shri Gayathirie Rajen.
The workforce army
To break it down, more than 100,000 people are needed across the country to run the federal election.
Polling centres open at 8 am sharp, but those working on the election have to start an hour earlier at least to prepare for Australia’s biggest operation in peacetime.
Breaking down the language barrier
Reflecting Australia’s vast cultural bandwidth, How To Vote Guides are provided in English and 34 other languages. A telephone interpreter service is available in more than 19 languages.
Support for those with a disability
As well as larger posters and the option of telephone voting for those who are blind or have low vision, the election makes available an Auslan interpreter service for those who are deaf and use the Auslan sign language. There are hearing loops and text-to-speech pens, as well as a National Relay Service for those who contact by phone and are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment.
Whatever the barrier, the AEC’s role is to successfully deliver an impartial federal election with the highest levels of integrity and neutrality.
All voters have to do is show up and cast their vote.
For more information, go to the AEC website.
Original Article published by Marguerite McKinnon on Region Riverina.
