Today is the NT local government election day. Here's everything you need to know to have your say - ABC Local

It's local government election day in the Northern Territory, and Territorians are being urged to make their voices heard.

Council elections are held every four years in the NT, meaning this is your only chance to have your say on who should represent you on the council for some time.

Here's everything you need to know about the 2021 local government election day.

For all official information, visit the NT Electoral Commission (NTEC) website.

Who are we voting for?

Territorians are being asked to vote on who should represent them in their local council areas.

You'll be asked to vote on your preferred aldermen/councillors.

In some areas, you'll also be required to lodge a separate ballot for a mayor to lead the council.

How can I vote?

If you live in an NT urban centre, there are a few different ways you can vote on election day.

The easiest way to vote is by attending a polling booth in person on the day, during opening hours.

You can also place a postal vote provided you've received and filled out the form by 6:00pm. 

If you're not on the electoral roll, are new to the Territory or have moved within the NT and your address details haven't been updated on the roll, you may still be able to vote through a new declaration vote option available this year.

To do this, you'll need to attend a polling booth in person and fill out a declaration vote, which will be added to the count if it gets approved by NTEC staff.

In remote parts of the NT, voting has already finished in all but a few places. 

The easiest way to vote on election day is to attend a polling booth in person.(

ABC News: Isabel Moussalli

)

Where can I vote?

Here are all the polling booths where you'll be able to place your vote on election day.

According to the NTEC, in-person voting at these centres will be open from 8:00am until 6:00pm, unless otherwise specified. 

City of Darwin:

• Casuarina Library: 17 Bradshaw Terrace, Casuarina
• Darwin Entertainment Centre: 93 Mitchell St, Darwin
• O'Loughlin Catholic College: 70 Mueller Rd, Karama
• Leanyer Primary School: 114 Leanyer Dr, Leanyer
• Ludmilla Primary School: 41 Bagot Rd, Ludmilla
• Moil Primary School — Outside School Hours Building: Moil Cres, Moil
• Nightcliff Middle School: 90 Aralia St, Nightcliff
• Parap Primary School: Urquhart St, Parap

City of Palmerston:

• Palmerston Shopping Centre: 22 Temple Terrace, Palmerston
• Palmerston College — 7-9 Middle Campus: 185 Forrest Parade, Rosebery
• Sacred Heart Primary School: 34 Emery Ave, Woodroffe
• Gateway Shopping Centre: 1 Roystonea Avenue, Yarrawonga
• Zuccoli Primary School: Cnr Zuccoli Pde & Peaflower St, Zuccoli

Litchfield Council:

• Berry Springs Primary School, 1150 Cox Peninsula Rd, Berry Springs
• Coolalinga Central, Shop T31 — Coolalinga Central (opposite Coles): 425 Stuart Highway, Coolalinga
• Whitewood Hall, Howard Park Reserve (next to Howard Springs Primary School): 310 Whitewood Rd, Howard Springs
• Taminmin College: 70 Challoner Crct, Humpty Doo

Alice Springs Town Council:

• Alice Springs Town Council Office: 93 Todd St, Alice Springs
• Braitling Primary School: 80 Head St, Alice Springs
• Centralian Senior College: Grevillea Dr, Alice Springs
• Gillen Primary School: 55 Milner Rd, Alice Springs
• Living Waters Lutheran School: Albrecht Dr, Alice Springs
• Desert Knowledge Australia: 475 South Stuart Highway, Kilgariff

Katherine Town Council:

• Katherine Civic Centre: Stuart Hwy, Katherine
• Tindal Community Hall: Easton Parade, Tindal

Barkly Regional Council:

• Tennant Creek Council Chambers: Peko Rd, Tennant Creek

There will also be mobile polling teams taking votes in these locations.

• For Coomalie Community Government Council: Batchelor Outdoor Education Centre, Tarkarri Rd, Batchelor. (Open 8:45am-2:45pm)
• For Wagait Shire Council: Wagait Shire Council office: 62 Wagait Tower Rd, Wagait Beach (Open 8:00am-12:00pm). 

For more details, visit the NTEC website.

Is voting compulsory?

Yes, voting in local government elections is compulsory in the Northern Territory.

The penalty for failing to vote without a sufficient reason is a $25 fine.

What if I'm not in my council area on election day?

If you're away from your local government area but are still in the Territory, there are a few select polling booths around where you can go to vote in any council election.

Here are the polling booths around the NT where you can vote for any council.

• Alice Springs: Alice Springs Town Council: 93 Todd St, Alice Springs
• Casuarina: Casuarina Library: 17 Bradshaw Terrace, Casuarina
• Coolalinga: Coolalinga Central, Shop T31 — Coolalinga Central (opposite Coles): 425 Stuart Highway, Coolalinga
• Darwin: Darwin Entertainment Centre: 93 Mitchell St, Darwin
• Katherine: Katherine Civic Centre: Stuart Hwy, Katherine
• Palmerston: Palmerston Shopping Centre: 22 Temple Terrace, Palmerston
• Tennant Creek: Tennant Creek Council Chambers: Peko Rd, Tennant Creek
• Yarrawonga: Gateway Shopping Centre: 1 Roystonea Avenue, Yarrawonga

If you can't make it to any of these polling booths on election day, or are interstate or overseas, the only other way you'll be able to vote is by post, and you'll need to have already applied for and received your postal ballot. 

If you need further advice, check the NTEC website or call the commission and someone there may be able to assist. 

Local government elections are only held every four years in the NT, so it's important to have your say today.(

ABC News: Isabel Moussalli

)

Can I submit a postal vote, or is it too late?

You can still submit a postal vote if you've applied for one, received it and completed it by 6:00pm today. 

You then have two weeks — until Friday, September 10 — to return the form to the NTEC.

Any postal votes that don't reach the commission by that day, won't be counted.

Does coronavirus change how I vote?

The NTEC has a COVID-19 management plan in place for the NT local government elections, which can be viewed on its website. 

It means all standard COVID-19 prevention measures will be in place at polling booths across the Territory. 

Social distancing will be observed, there will be plenty of hand sanitiser and voters are encouraged to bring their own pencils, though there will be single-use pencils available to use.

How many people have already voted?

There has been a high turnout for early voting in these local government elections, with 37,428 people having cast their ballot before election day. 

There have also been 3,847 postal votes returned so far. 

At mobile polling stations in remote areas, at least 5,000 people have already placed their votes, with more to be added.

When will we know the results?

While the vote count will begin on election night, we won't know the final results until Friday, September 10. 

The NTEC will start counting first preference votes for both mayors and aldermen/councillors from tonight.

Those votes should give us a fair idea of how the results for most councils are shaping up, though some will still be too close to call.

But because all postal votes will only be returned by September 10, we'll only know the final results around then.

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Today is the NT local government election day. Here's everything you need to know to have your say - ABC Local
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