IT was a quiet opening day of pre-poll voting for the council elections on Monday, but the period has extra significance this year with everyone able to vote early.
Pre-poll voting is open to all registered voters because of COVID-19.
The eligibility criteria has been relaxed in order to reduce the number of voters on election day - Saturday, December 4.
Despite the open-doors policy, at the Newcastle and Adamstown pre-poll centres on Monday candidates and party volunteers described it as a "fairly quiet" morning with "only a trickle" through the doors by midday.
Labor councillor Carol Duncan, who is seeking re-election in Ward 2, welcomed the changes in light of the pandemic.
"Seeing some seniors coming through who are particularly still COVID-cautious - that's the great thing about having the pre-poll for two weeks; it gives people a lot of time to spread out and feel a bit safer," she said.
Newcastle pre-poll voting locations:
- Newcastle Returning Officer's Office 150 King Street, Newcastle
- Adamstown Combined Pensioners Association 153A Brunker Road, Adamstown
- Mayfield Presbyterian Church Hall Macquarie Street, Mayfield
- Lambton Pre-Poll 57 Crescent Road, Lambton
- Wallsend Library 30 Bunn Street, Wallsend
The other key change this election is the ban on handing out how-to-vote material.
Cr Duncan said Labor "ensured that we've had a lot of information going out in advance", but the ban had proved "an interesting issue" to explain to those voters who are used to taking the handouts.
"If they've got it in their letterbox and remember to bring it with them, that will be helpful," she said.
First-time candidate PJ Fallon, who leads the Newcastle Independents' ticket in Ward 2, admitted he was "still getting used" to wooing voters but hoped his message of bringing unity to council was resonating.
"I'm keen to get rid of this division that has overwhelmed the council, this animosity," he said.
"People are looking at it from the outside, and I was one of them, looking in thinking 'this isn't the way it should work."
Ward 1 Liberal candidate Blake Keating said rates had been the most frequent topic raised by voters at the Newcastle centre, on the corner of King and Brown streets.
"I'm actually hearing a lot from pensioners that they're struggling to keep up with rates bills because of the increases in property values affecting the actual value of the rate," he said.
"I think that's going to be a big issue that decides votes, as much as it is the classic council issue."
