Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

REFERENDUM (MACHINERY PROVISIONS) ACT 1984 - SECT 29

             (1)  The voting at a referendum shall be conducted as follows:

                     (a)  before any vote is taken at a polling booth, the presiding officer at that polling booth shall exhibit each ballot-box that is to be used for the referendum empty, and shall then securely fasten its cover;

                     (b)  each polling booth shall open at 8 o'clock in the morning on the voting day and shall not close until all the electors who are present in the polling booth at 6 o'clock in the afternoon on the voting day and who desire to vote at the referendum have voted;

                     (c)  the doors of each polling booth shall be closed at 6 o'clock in the afternoon on the voting day and no person shall be admitted to the polling booth after that hour for the purpose of voting;

                     (d)  except where the scrutiny is to be proceeded with immediately after the close of voting at a polling booth, at the close of the voting each presiding officer at a polling booth shall, in the presence of a polling official and of any scrutineers appointed under section 27 who are at the polling booth, close, fasten, seal and take charge of each ballot-box used for the referendum and with the least possible delay forward the ballot-box for the purpose of scrutiny.

             (2)  A ballot-box used for a referendum shall not be opened except in accordance with this Act or, if the ballot-box has been used for both the referendum and an election, in accordance with this Act or the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 .