Scenic Rim Council election candidates have been banned from canvassing votes outside pre-polling and polling booths.

The new ban came into force at 5.00pm on Friday night.

Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the Electoral Commission of Queensland’s (ECQ) decision was in the best health interests of voters at pre-polling booths and on Election Day.

However, candidate how-to-vote information will be displayed inside polling places by electoral officials.  

ECQ Commissioner Pat Vidgen said the ban would reassure voters that heading to the polling booth would be as quick a process as possible.

“Early voting, telephone voting and the demand for postal votes tells us that Queenslanders want this process to go ahead,” he said.

Mr Hinchliffe said the latest advice from Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young was that it was still safe to hold council elections up to and on 28 March.

“The risk of contracting COVID-19 at a polling location is low,” Dr Young has advised the ECQ.

“People will be frequently entering and exiting the environment, spending little time in static close contact, which reduces the risk of spread of COVID 19. 

“I appreciate the measures being proposed by Electoral Commission Queensland as they should address the risk of community transmission of COVID-19, while allowing important electoral processes to continue.”