Upper Yarra residents who missed the postal vote application deadline on Wednesday but have tested positive for Covid can still vote via a CovidSafe drive-through service, albeit in Melton West.
VEC acting commissioner Dana Fleming said there needs to be an option for people who want to vote but aren’t comfortable entering a voting centre, even if it isn’t a convenient one.
“In good conscience, we felt we had to offer at least one option for voters in this situation. We have an early voting centre located at a former Bunnings site in Melton West that we’ve turned into a drive-through centre,” she said.
“There simply wasn’t enough time to find and lease any other premises that were large enough to cope.”
The voting centre will be open between 8am and 6pm on Saturday 26 November.
Voters must stay in their car and will need to show a positive Rapid Antigen Test or a text from the Department of Health confirming a positive PCR test to use the service.
“We have employed registered nurses in full personal protective equipment to be the intermediary between election staff and the voter to ensure everyone’s safety,” Ms Fleming said.
“It will take a little longer and I ask for voters who use the service to be as patient as possible.”
The CovidSafe drive-through service is located at 149 Barries Road, Melton West
