41ATemporary suspension of polling

41A Temporary suspension of polling

(1) The Electoral Commissioner may temporarily suspend the voting at a referendum for a period if the Electoral Commissioner is satisfied that the suspension of voting during that period is justified because of: (a) riot or open violence; or (b) the threat of riot or open violence; or (c) storm, tempest, flood or an occurrence of a similar kind; or (d) a health hazard; or (e) a fire or the activation of fire safety equipment (such as sprinklers or alarms); or (f) any other reason related to: (i) the safety of voters; or (ii) difficulties in the physical conduct of the voting. (2) If: (a) the voting day for a referendum is the same as that fixed for the polling at an election; and (b) the Electoral Commissioner temporarily suspends the polling at a polling booth for a period under section 240A of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918; the Electoral Commissioner must temporarily suspend the voting at the referendum at the polling booth for the same period.