Record low voter turnouts in Indigenous communities are revealing a growing divide between urban and remote residents, the Northern Territory Electoral Commissioner (NTEC) says.
With just one day left of remote voting, commissioner Iain Loganathan said the poor turnout rate — sitting at about 50 per cent in several communities — was unlikely to change.
He said it was clear remote voters felt disengaged from the democratic process.
"How, and whether this view can change is not just a question for the NTEC, it is an issue of concern for every Territorian," Mr Loganathan said.
"The reality is that the bush is not having an equal say.
"That is not a good sign for the future of democracy in the NT — it means that our democracy is weakening."
Mr Loganathan said the large Arnhem Land community of Maningrida in the Arafura electorate was an example of "systemic" problems reducing voter turnout.
The commissioner said only 24 per cent of the 1,529 enrolled residents at Maningrida voted despite the community's allocated polling days being extended from one day to two.
'Too easy' to blame coronavirus
Mr Loganathan said many people had already travelled away from the community for funeral ceremonies.
"Unfortunately the times for polling happened to coincide with ceremony, which means major roads were closed and a significant number of people were out of the community," Mr Loganathan said
"The feedback from the polling officials is that those people that were in the community did vote."
Mr Loganathan said it would be too "easy" to blame the low voter turnout in Indigenous communities on the coronavirus pandemic.
"In reality, remote turnout in the Territory has been an issue for decades," he said.
He said residents living in urban areas had their details updated automatically through the Australian Electoral Commission's direct enrolment system.
"That system does not operate in areas where there is no postal delivery to the street address," Mr Loganathan said.
"What we do know is that many Aboriginal Territorians are not on the electoral roll, and many of those who are don't vote."
Mr Loganathan said the AEC maintained the NT electoral roll and was no longer operating a remote enrolment program.
"The gradual and eventual shutdown of remote enrolment programs has also served to disenfranchise remote voters."
