Tamworth local government elections: all the information you need to vote in the Tamworth Regional Council elections on Saturday

Election workers are busy preparing thousands of ballots - and processing pre-poll votes - in advance of the Saturday election.

At least this year they won't need to sharpen any pencils.

Every vote cast in person at the 2022 Local Government elections, for the first time, will be cast in pen, a measure adopted in the name of coronavirus safety.

READ MORE:

The electoral commission purchased a reported 40,000 single-use pens for the Tamworth Regional Council election alone, to cater to about 44,500 electors. The commission also encourages voters to bring their own. Pens will not be reused.

There will also be no how-to-vote cards handed out by candidates or supporters at polling booths, due to strict rules imposed due to the pandemic.

The COVID-19 crisis twice forced the delay of last year's scheduled elections to December 4, 2021.

The polls for 125 of the state's councils were meant to take place in September, 2020 but were put off until 2021 in the early days of the pandemic.

The August outbreak of the Delta strain forced them to be pushed back again to December 4, 2021.

Councillors will have served for over five years by close of polls on Saturday.

Tamworth voters have a choice of 25 polling locations to cast their ballot.

Twelve polling locations are in the city of Tamworth, plus 13 more booths in smaller communities outside the city, including in Barraba, Manilla, Somerton, Bendemeer, Nundle, Moore Creek and more.

Ballots open at 8am and close at 6pm on Saturday December 4.

You must vote for at least five candidates for your vote to be counted under the state's optional preferential voting system. You can mark as many numbers as you like.

Voters will not have a choice of mayor. The nine candidates elected as councillors will meet in January to decide who will sit as mayor and deputy mayor of Tamworth. Mayor Col Murray will retire on December 4 after 11 years in the job.

You'll have 19 names to choose from including candidates from within Tamworth and from around the region.

The Leader has put together a list of candidates and what they stand for here.

For voters cut off by flood waters or who haven't received their postal ballot as a result of natural disasters, the electoral commission recommends two options.

Voting remains compulsory, even in a flood.

A spokesperson for the NSW Electoral Commission said that there were a number of alternative voting options for people in tough circumstances.

Residents can access internet voting via iVote, or vote over the phone under three circumstances.

Want more local news? Subscribe to the Leader to read it here first

If they've applied for a postal vote that they didn't receive before 5pm on November 26, even if it has since arrived.

They can also do so if they would be forced to travel more than 20 kilometres by road closures, flooding, or some other transport issue in order to vote in person on election day.

Or if they will be outside their council area between 8 am and 6 pm on election day.

As a last resort, people who can't cast a vote due to the floods may also be able to evade a $55 fine.

"The reasons given for not voting will be assessed on a case-by-case basis," the spokesperson said.

The NSW Electoral Commission encourages voters to bring their own pen.

Voters should also bring their mask and their smart phone.

It is mandatory for voters to check in and check out of election venues using the ServiceNSW COVID Safe Check-in QR code. Voters must wear a mask while inside the election venue - and while lining up, even if that's outside.

If you don't have a smart phone, you can check in manually.

Absentee voting isn't permitted for the 2021 local government elections.

Yes, but you can't necessarily vote in person.

Unvaccinated people are still required to vote in the local government elections.

If you're under a public health order not to leave your house because you're infected with coronavirus or are a close contact of someone infected with the virus, do not go to the polls in person.

Voters across the state are encouraged to vote via postal, online and operator-assisted voting or at a pre-poll office.

Residents can access internet voting via iVote, or vote over the phone if eligible.

Every worker employed during the election is required to be fully vaccinated.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: