Queensland Local Government Elections 2024: Long Queues Reported at Polling Stations Across State

Queuing times at polling booths varied today as voters across Queensland cast their ballots in the local government elections. Long queues were reported at polling stations in Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast, leading to wait times of up to an hour for some voters. Many voters expressed frustration at the lengthy queues and some reported that some polling booths had run out of ballot papers. Reports indicate that the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) was understaffed at various polling stations.

The Brisbane City Council election, where party affiliations are on the ballot paper, is of particular interest. With predictions of a Greenslide in Brisbane, incumbent LNP Adrian Schrinner has warned voters of the possibility of a Labor-Green Coalition. Brisbane is the largest local government authority in the state, with almost 30% of Queensland votes cast in the city. The LNP currently holds 19 of the city’s 26 wards.

In other parts of the state, several mayors are running unopposed, including mayors from Moreton Bay, Richmond Shire Council, Hinchinbrook, and Balonne. Queenslanders are also closely watching the races in Logan, where Darren Power has stepped down after 26 years, and in the Sunshine Coast, where Mark Jamieson has retired.

Some notable candidates in these elections include former television news presenter Rosanna Natoli and incumbent councillor Jason O’Pray in the Sunshine Coast, and former federal MP Andrew Laming, Jos Mitchell, and Cindy Corrie in Redlands. In Ipswich, Mayor Teresa Harding is among six candidates vying for the top job, including current councillor Sheila Ireland and former councillor David Martin.

The polling booths opened at 8am and closed at 6pm, with results expected to start coming in shortly after. The Electoral Commission of Queensland will begin the unofficial count by looking at the first preferences, with the official count starting on Sunday where preferences will be worked through. The aim is to have the election concluded by Easter, two weeks after the election day.