A record field of 12 candidates have nominated to contest the North West Central District By-election on 17 September 2022 to replace retired MLA Vince Catania.
Nominations closed at midday today (Friday 26 August).
The previous nomination record for the District was nine candidates at the March 2021 State Election.
The draw to determine the order of candidates on the ballot paper was conducted by the By-election Returning Officer at the Carnarvon Shire Offices soon after close of nominations.
The list of candidates as they will appear on the ballot paper is as follows:
1. Niels GLAHN-BERTELSEN The Greens (WA)
2. Andrea RANDLE WESTERN AUSTRALIA PARTY
3. Peter BAKER Small Business Party
4. Merome BEARD THE NATIONALS
5. Gerald LAURENT Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
6. Leanne LOCKYER Legalise Cannabis Western Australia Party
7. Jake Adkins McCOULL Liberal Democrats
8. Anthony FELS WESTERN AUSTRALIA PARTY
9. Aaron HORSMAN NO MANDATORY VACCINATION
10. Peter D. DUNNE Independent
11. Tony STOKES Independent
12. Will BASTON Liberal Party
Enrolment for the electoral roll for this by-election has now closed, with 11,189 people eligible to vote, a slight increase on the 2021 State Election figure of 10,993.
WA Electoral Commissioner, Robert Kennedy, said the record candidate nominations demonstrate that democracy is alive and well in the North West Central District.
“It’s very important eligible electors now make the effort to get out and vote if they want to have a say in who represents them and their community in the Legislative Assembly,” Commissioner Kennedy said.
“The by-election is now just over three weeks away, but there are options to vote early for people who can’t, or choose not to, attend a polling place on the day.
“With the electorate covering more than 820,000 square kilometres, we understand there will be logistical challenges for many people to vote in person on the 17th of September, which is why we encourage Postal and Early Voting.”
Applications for a postal vote can be made at www.elections.wa.gov.au/pva, or for people without internet access they can be requested by phoning the Commission on 13 63 06.
Applications for postal votes close at 6 pm on Wednesday, 14 September 2022. Postal votes need to be received by the Commission by 9 am on Thursday, 22 September 2022 to be included in the count.
Electors can also vote in person ahead of election day. The Carnarvon Woolshed is an early voting centre during the by-election and will be open from 8 am to 6 pm on weekdays from Wednesday 31 August to Friday 16 September.
During those dates, in person early votes can also be cast at the WA Electoral Commission’s Perth office at Level 2, 111 St George’s Terrace, weekdays between 8.30 am and 4.30 pm.
Telephone Assisted Voting (TAV) is available for eligible electors to cast a secret vote.
Under the Electoral Act, an eligible elector is defined as an elector who cannot vote without assistance because the elector has insufficient literacy skills or is sight impaired or otherwise incapacitated.
The WAEC has established a specific call line for TAV on 136 800, or for international callers: +(61) 8 9214 7290.
TAV will be open from 31 August 2022 until 17 September 2022 between the hours of 8am and 6pm on weekdays and on Polling Day.
Remote Polling teams will also be visiting a number of isolated Aboriginal communities in the fortnight prior to 17 September.
The Electoral Commissions in all other Australian States and Territories will accept votes from enrolled electors who are interstate during the by-election. A list of polling places on 17 September and an itinerary for the remote polling teams can be found at www.elections.wa.gov.au/NWCentralBy-Election.
Footnote: There is nothing in the Legislation that prevents a political party from nominating more than one candidate to contest a Lower House seat.
Media contact: Ph: (08) 9214 0437, E: media@waec.wa.gov.au