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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Cait Kelly

Some voters in regional Australia could face hours-long drives to cast their federal election vote

Australia Voter AEC Evan EkinSmyth Covid-19 Australian Electoral Commission
An Australian Electoral Commission early voting centre in Cannington in the federal electorate of Swan in Perth.
The Australian Electoral Commission says the vast majority of the 7,000 polling places normally used for federal elections will be able to open on Saturday, but it still has a few ‘areas of concern’. Photograph: Richard Wainwright/AAP

Regional communities are concerned they will have to travel for hours to cast their vote on Saturday, as the Australian Electoral Commission makes a last-ditch effort to fill staffing gaps so polling places can open.

The administration of this year’s election has been hampered by labour shortages, which have been compounded by further staffing shortages due to Covid, with 90 workers calling in sick with the virus within 24 hours in Hobart.

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