383Suspension of voting

383 Suspension of voting

383 Suspension of voting

(1) An election manager may temporarily suspend voting for a period not exceeding 4 hours at a polling place on election day if the election manager considers that it is necessary to do so because of—

(a) a riot or open violence, or

(b) a serious threat of a riot or open violence occurring, or

(c) a storm, tempest, flood or other similar event, or

(d) a health hazard, or

(d1) without limiting subsection (1)(d), a risk of harm to public health caused by a person who is infected with COVID-19, or is required to self-isolate under a public health order because of COVID-19, attending the polling place, or

(e) a fire or the activation of a fire alarm or fire safety equipment, or

(f) another reason which the election manager considers—

(i) may affect the safety of electors, or

(ii) may interrupt or obstruct the proper conduct of voting.

(2) The election manager must ensure that a person who attends the polling place during the period that voting is temporarily suspended is provided with information to assist the person to vote, including—

(a) the time at which the polling place is expected to reopen, and

(b) the location of other polling places.

s 383: Am 2021 (617), Sch 1[12].