Arafura by-election:Polling closed

Polling in the Arafura by-election has now closed.

Arafura electors who have applied for a postal vote are required to complete their ballot paper by 6pm today.

Currently, 57.94 per cent of electors have cast their vote in the by-election via postal vote, mobile voting and the early voting centre including 268 declaration votes.

The NT Electoral Commission travelled to 23 Arafura communities which has resulted in 3077 votes taken including declaration votes. The Darwin early voting centre issued 62 votes.

141 postal votes have been issued to electors with 69 returned. The deadline for receipt of postal votes is 12 noon on Friday 31 March.

“In the 2020 Territory general election there was a turnout of 52.7 per cent of electors in the Arafura division” said Iain Loganathan, NT Electoral Commissioner.

“It is encouraging to see a higher turnout in the by-election considering by-elections generally result in a lower elector turnout.”

Primary counts for the Arafura by-election will commence at 6pm today at the NT Electoral Commission office followed by a two candidate preferred count.

The fresh count (re-check) of all votes counted today will commence at 10am on Monday 20 March. The final distribution of preferences will be held from 12 noon on Friday 31 March.

The progressive tally for the Arafura by-election will be published on the NT Electoral Commission website.