People across the Hunter will be required to cast their votes in the 2016 federal election on Saturday, July 2.
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Party supporters in brightly-coloured shirts will hand out how-to-vote cards and inviting leaflets while hopeful politicians man sausage sizzles.
Across the nation, more people than ever are voting early in the marathon, eight-week campaign.
In the first two weeks after voting opened on Tuesday, June 14, the Australian Electoral Commission recorded 1.1 million early votes. In the 2013 election that number was just 775,000.
In Paterson 15,556 early votes have been cast and in Lyne 12,590 people had already decided by close of business on Monday.
This year’s candidates for Paterson are:
- Meryl Swanson – Australian Labor Party
- Peter Davis – Citizen’s Electoral Council
- John Brown – Australian Greens
- Karen Howard – Liberal Party of Australia
- Peter Arena – Christian Democratic Party Fred Nile Group
- Graham Burston – Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
- Brian Clare – Rise Up Australia
WHERE TO VOTE
In the Lower Hunter the following polling stations will be accepting votes for residents of Paterson:
Ashtonfield Public School, Beresfield Public School, East Maitland Church of Christ, East Maitland Public School, Maitland High School, Gillieston Public School, Kurri Kurri Public School, Lochinvar Public School, Maitland Town Hall, Metford Public School, Millers Forest Public School, Morpeth Uniting Church, Pelaw Main Public School, Rutherford Playtime Pre-school, Rutherford Technology High School, St Paul’s Parish Hall, Tarro Community Hall, Telarah Public School, Tenambit Public School, Somerset Sporting Complex, Thornton Public School, Weston Civic Centre and Woodberry Public School.
In Port Stephens the following polling stations will be accepting votes for residents of Paterson: