Election worker shortages in identified areas

Updated: 18 May 2022

The AEC is today alerting voters in identified areas that recruitment difficulties may lead to a relatively small number of planned polling places being unable to open on election day.

Areas that are a cause for current concern are in the following divisions, with localities listed within this media release.

  • Capricornia, Flynn, Kennedy and Leichhardt (QLD)
  • Barker and Grey (SA)
  • Durack and O’Connor (WA)

Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers said the vast majority of the nation’s planned 7,000 polling places will be in operation.

“While the impact will likely be limited, and limited to certain areas, voters in identified regional locations who have not accessed an early voting centre, or postal vote, may not have a polling venue in their town on election day,” Mr Rogers said.

“The list of affected areas will reduce as we get closer to Saturday and many local residents will have already accessed the alternative forms of voting available in the Australian system.”

“Recruitment difficulty is exactly what we advised could occur, both earlier in the pandemic and in the early stages of the election period, and why we’ve been urging people to assess all voting options.”

“Current labour shortages in regional areas have been well documented. No frontline service has been immune to resourcing difficulties and we’re running the nation’s biggest in-person, manual event.”

Pulling out all the stops

Direct liaison, advertising and third-party outreach has been happening for more than a year in an effort to recruit the 105,000 polling staff required across Australia.

“We estimate that our staff have made well over 1 million phone calls, they’ve sent more than half a million emails and we’ve had 1.8 millions unique page views on our election jobs webpages since February,” Mr Rogers said.

“Short of handing out blank cheques for work, or accommodating thousands of single-day workers in interstate locations, there is not much more we could have done so far.”

“We’re calling on other organisations to assist as a final push, and investigating all possible staffing models including amalgamating venues.”

“We’re also continuing to engage with local residents in the hope they’ll put their hand up. For some people it may mean that if you want to vote at a polling place in your town on election day, you may have to sign up to work as well.”

Sign up now!

We’re urging people in the areas listed below to register today so that polling places can open on Saturday.

Simply visit aec.gov.au/electionjobs and fill out the registration form. It is quick to complete, polling official positions are paid, you don’t need any experience to register, and we’ll provide you with the training you need.

Editor’s notes:

  • Postal vote applications close at 6pm today
  • A list of polling locations of current concern are available below.

Areas in need of staff

Queensland

South Australia

Western Australia

Polling place

Postcode

Polling place

Postcode

Polling place

Postcode

Polling place

Postcode

Polling place

Postcode

Kennedy Central

4816

Carpenter Rocks

5291

Wirrulla

5661

Lake King

6353

Ongerup

6336

Kowanyama

4892

Coonawarra

5263

Woomera

5720

Leinster

6437

Quinninup

6258

Hamilton Island

4803

Lyrup

5343

Maslin Beach

5170

Paraburdoo

6754

Trayning

6488

Capella

4723

Nangwarry

5277

Lenswood

5240

Meekatharra

6642

Frankland

6396

Rolleston

4702

Rendelsham

5280

Furner

5280

Ravensthorpe

6346

Grass Valley

6403

Garradunga

4860

Southend

5280

Mypolonga

5254

Laverton

6440

Spalding

6530

Karumba

4891

Swan Reach

5354

Ramco

5322

Millars Well

6714

Somerville

6430

Lucinda

4850

Andamooka

5722

Alford

5555

Hopetoun

6348

Mount Tarcoola

6530

Mutchilba

4872

Arno Bay

5603

Arthurton

5572

Quairading

6383

Manjimup East

6258

Kamerunga

4870

Darke Peak

5642

Ceduna

5690

Pannawonica

6716

 

 

Glenden

4743

Georgetown

5472

Maitland

5573

Broomehill

6318

 

 

Nebo

4742

Hawker

5434

Orroroo

5431

Coolgardie

6429

 

 

Proston

4613

Lochiel

5510

Port Augusta East

5700

Hyden

6359

 

 

Boulia 

4829

Lock

5633

Port Pirie

5540

Eneabba

6518

 

 

Long Pocket

4850

Marrabel

5413

Two Wells

5501

Newdegate

6355

 

 

Lower Tully

4854

Point Pass

5374

Watervale

5452

Norseman

6443

 

 

 

 

Port Neill

5604

Whyalla

5600

Nyabing

6341