Commonwealth Numbered Acts

REFERENDUM (MACHINERY PROVISIONS) ACT 1984 No. 44, 1984 - SECT 29

29. (1) The voting at a referendum shall be conducted as follows:

   (a)  before any vote is taken at a polling booth, the presiding officer at
        that polling booth shall exhibit each ballot-box that is to be used
        for the referendum empty, and shall then securely fasten its cover;

   (b)  each polling booth shall open at 8 o'clock in the morning on the
        voting day and shall not close until all the electors who are present
        in the polling booth at 6 o'clock in the afternoon on the voting day
        and who desire to vote at the referendum have voted;

   (c)  the doors of each polling booth shall be closed at 6 o'clock in the
        afternoon on the voting day and no person shall be admitted to the
        polling booth after that hour for the purpose of voting;

   (d)  except where the scrutiny is to be proceeded with immediately after
        the close of voting at a polling booth, at the close of the voting
        each presiding officer at a polling booth shall, in the presence of
        the poll clerk and of any scrutineers appointed under section 27 who
        are at the polling booth, close, fasten, seal and take charge of each
        ballot-box used for the referendum and with the least possible delay
        forward the ballot-box for the purpose of scrutiny.

(2) A ballot-box used for a referendum shall not be opened except in
accordance with this Act or, if the ballot-box has been used for both the
referendum and an election, in accordance with this Act or the Commonwealth 
Electoral Act 1918 .