ELECTORAL ACT 1985 - SECT 80

ELECTORAL ACT 1985 - SECT 80

80—Voter may be accompanied by an assistant in certain circumstances

        (1)         Subject to this section, if a voter satisfies the presiding officer that he or she is unable to vote without assistance, the voter may be accompanied by an assistant of his or her choice while in the polling booth.

        (2)         The presiding officer may express disapproval of a person chosen to assist a voter under this section and, in that event, some other person, acceptable to the presiding officer, must be chosen by the voter.

        (3)         The assistant may assist the voter in any of the following ways:

            (a)         by acting as an interpreter;

            (b)         by explaining the ballot paper, and the voter's obligations under this Act in relation to the marking of the ballot paper, to the voter;

            (c)         by assisting the voter to mark the ballot paper, or by marking the ballot paper at the voter's direction;

            (d)         by folding and depositing the ballot paper in the ballot box;

            (e)         in the case of a voter making a declaration vote—

                  (i)         by assisting the voter to complete the appropriate declaration on the envelope; or

                  (ii)         if the voter is unable to do so—by completing and signing the declaration on the voter's behalf in the presence of an officer (who must sign the envelope as witness); or

                  (iii)         by folding and placing the ballot paper in the appropriate envelope and sealing the envelope.

        (4)         A candidate, or a scrutineer appointed by a candidate, must not act as an assistant under this section.

Maximum penalty: $1 250.