Local Government Act 1993

The Tasmanian Electoral Commission, for the purposes of this section, may approve procedures to enable approved electors to vote in accordance with this section.

An electronic copy of a ballot paper, and an electronic copy of a declaration document, in respect of an election may be obtained by an approved elector in accordance with the approved procedures.

An approved elector may vote in an election by sending – by an electronic means specified in the approved procedures, completed electronic copies of each of the downloaded documents; or by mail, completed paper copies of each of the downloaded documents – so that the completed electronic copies or completed paper copies are received by the relevant person before the end of the polling period in respect of the election.

If completed electronic copies, or completed paper copies, of the downloaded documents, that are sent by an approved elector are received by the relevant person before the end of the polling period in respect of the election in accordance with subsection (3) – a person approved by the Electoral Commissioner is to transcribe onto a ballot paper the voting indicated on the completed electronic copy, or completed paper copy, of the electronic ballot paper; and the ballot paper on which the voting is transcribed under paragraph (a) is to be dealt with as a ballot paper received by post; and a person approved by the Electoral Commissioner is to print a paper copy of the completed electronic copy of the electronic declaration document; and the paper copy, of the completed electronic copy of the electronic declaration document, that is sent by mail under subsection (3)(b) or printed under paragraph (c) is to be taken to be a declaration by the approved elector that is signed on an envelope as required under section 285.

An electronic record is to be made of the persons and the electronic address from whom or which completed electronic copies or completed paper copies were received in accordance with subsection (3).

An electronic record kept under subsection (5) in respect of an election is to be kept until the election can no longer be questioned.

A person does not commit an offence against a provision of this Part in relation to an action taken by the person if the action is taken in good faith for the purposes of this section or the approved procedures.

In this section – approved elector means a person who is – an elector in respect of an electoral area; and outside Tasmania; and a member of a class of electors to which the approved procedures apply; approved procedures means procedures approved for the purposes of this section; completed electronic copy, in relation to a downloaded document, means an electronic copy of the downloaded document that is completed by the person in accordance with the instructions on the downloaded document; completed paper copy, in relation to a downloaded document, means a paper copy of the downloaded document that is completed by the person in accordance with the instructions on the downloaded document; declaration document means an electronic document, to be completed by a person, stating that the person is the person who received ballot material electronically and is voting using procedures approved under this section; downloaded documents means an electronic copy of a ballot paper, and an electronic copy of a declaration document, that are obtained under subsection (2); electronic ballot paper means an electronic copy of a ballot paper obtained under subsection (2); electronic declaration document means an electronic copy of a declaration document obtained under subsection (2); relevant person means – the returning officer; or the electoral officer in charge of an issuing place.