Getting people to the polls in remote Northern Territory communities

Limited opportunities to vote close to home led to poor turnout across remote communities at the last local elections, four years ago. (ABC Alice Springs: Saskia Mabin)

Corflute signs plastered with the grinning faces of would-be mayors are multiplying daily on almost every available patch of roadside across Alice Springs.

But 200 kilometres north in the remote Central Australian town Ti Tree, there's almost no visible hint of an election.

Just 36 per cent of eligible voters across the NT's remote communities showed up at the polls at the last local government elections. 

That's not surprising given many only had a very slim window of time to vote — in some cases just half an hour.

"We sat down after 2017 and looked to see what we could do to improve," NT Electoral Commission deputy officer Wayne Harlock said.

The only sign outside the Ti Tree voting centre. (ABC Alice Springs: Xavier Martin)

Seven candidates are vying for four positions on the Anmatjere ward of the Central Desert Regional Council, which represents three different predominately Indigenous communities.

While none of the candidates are stationed outside the Ti Tree voting centre handing out 'how to vote' cards, it does not mean this election is not important.

"You don't have your active campaigning [but] most residents know each other and there's that intimate relationship that exists between candidates and the rest of the community," said Deputy CEO of the Central Desert Regional Council, Leslie Manda.

"That's a big issue because it affects liveability and access to services."

Polling officers Shamayla Presley and Jeff Aubert waiting for voters in Ti Tree. (ABC Alice Springs: Saskia Mabin)

Getting people to the polls

In a bid to boost numbers at the polls, the Northern Territory Electoral Commission (NTEC) trained local council staff living in remote communities to be polling officers so that voting centres could stay open for up to five days.

Jeff Aubert was looking for work in high-performance sport in Adelaide last year but instead chose a "change of life" and moved to Ti Tree to take up a job with the Central Desert Regional Council.

He's the youth sport and recreation leader and in charge of the town's night patrol.

This week, he's also a polling officer.

"I've got a Toyota Troopy that fits 10 people in so we can definitely get people here in dribs and drabs as well."

Casting votes at Ti Tree. (ABC Alice Springs: Xavier Martin)

The NTEC has also made 'how to vote' information videos, translated into 13 Indigenous languages.  

Mr Harlock would consider any increase in the 36 per cent voter turnout from the last election a win.

"With the effort and the strategies we're putting in place, it would be nice to be hitting the mid-40s — even if it was 50 per cent it would be fantastic," he said.

"We're not going to threaten people with fines.

Deputy officer from the NTEC Wayne Harlock says the agency can improve education about the importance of voting in remote communities. (ABC Alice Springs: Xavier Martin)