Stafford State by-election

In person

Remember to bring your maroon voter information card or email reminder with you for quicker voting.

Early voting

Early voting will be available from Tuesday 5 May to Friday 15 May 2026 (weekends excluded) 8am to 6pm.

The early voting centres are:

• Chermside Kedron Community Church, Cnr Rode & Gympie Roads, Kedron
• Wilston Grange Australian Football Club, Hickey Park, Babarra Street, Stafford

Election day voting

Election day voting is Saturday 16 May 2026. We will have polling places open from 8am to 6pm across the electorate.

The list of polling places is posted on our website.

Postal voting

You can request a postal ballot on our website.

The deadline for requesting a postal vote is 7pm on Monday 4 May 2026.

Ballot papers will be printed and mailed after nominations close and the ballot draw is finished.

You can complete your postal vote as soon as you receive it, following the instructions carefully.

Find out more about how to complete a postal vote and watch a short video.

You must complete your vote by 6pm Saturday 16 May 2026.

The ECQ must receive it by 6pm Tuesday 26 May 2026 so your vote can be counted.

Other ways to vote

Eligible electors may also vote by telephone or mobile voting.

Registrations for telephone voting will open at 8am on Tuesday 5 May 2026. Telephone voting is a two-step process. You need to call to register and then call again to vote over the telephone,

For instructions and to see if you are eligible to vote by telephone, please see our Fact sheet on telephone voting PDF (0.23 MB).

Mobile voting will be provided to electors in certain locations such as aged care facilities which have been designated as ‘declared institutions’.

These services are only available to eligible electors

To vote in the Stafford by-election, you need to number all the boxes on the ballot paper in your preferred order. Start with the number 1 for the candidate you most prefer.

This is the full preferential voting system, which is used as required by the Electoral Act 1992.

Watch this short video to learn about ways to vote.

Candidates

Candidate nominations will open at 9am on Saturday 18 April 2026.

Nominations close at noon on Friday 24 April 2026. The list of nominated candidates will be posted once nominations have closed.

All participants

All participants in a state by-election should be aware that participation is regulated under the Electoral Act 1992, and there are obligations to fulfill.

Be sure to read through our pages about being a participant in a state by-election as well as the fact sheets and handbooks provided.

Learn more about being a participant in the Stafford state by-election.

Key funding and disclosure dates for election participants

• Expenditure cap period – 9am on Saturday 18 April until 6pm, Saturday 16 May 2026
• 24-hour disclosure period commences – Thursday 7 May 2026
• How-to-vote card submissions close – 5pm, Friday 8 May 2026
• Publisher and broadcaster election summary returns due – Monday 13 July 2026
• Candidate, registered political party, associated entity and registered third party election summary returns due – Monday 31 August 2026

Help with voting

• We have information to help you vote.
• You can check how accessible voting places are by using Find my polling booth.

Other ways to vote

• If it is hard for you to vote in person on election day, you can:
  • vote early
  • vote by post.
• You can request a postal vote now.
• The deadline to request a postal vote is 7pm, Monday 4 May 2026.
• You can learn about postal voting and watch a short video on the postal voting page.

Early voting centre

• It is open weekdays from Tuesday 5 May to Friday 15 May 2026.
• Opening hours are 8am to 6pm.

Voting in other languages

• Election information is available in 25 languages.

• Issue of the writ – Friday 17 April 2026
• Candidate nominations open – 9am, Saturday 18 April 2026
• Close of electoral roll – Tuesday 21 April 2026
• Candidate nominations close – 12pm, Friday 24 April 2026
• Ballot paper order draw – 2:30pm, Friday 24 April 2026
• Deadline for requesting a postal vote – 7pm, Monday 4 May 2026
• Early voting – Tuesday 5 May - Friday 15 May 2026, excluding weekends
• Election day – Saturday 16 May 2026
• Postal vote deadline – 6pm, Tuesday 26 May 2026

Local councils determine the rules that apply to election signage and advertising (like corflutes) next to local roads, on private property and on some state-controlled roads in their area.

Election signage and advertising on state-controlled (usually main) roads is regulated by the Department of Transport and Main Roads. They have signage regulations and a self-assessment checklist available.

Candidates and other election participants should check the requirements of their local council and the Department of Transport and Main Roads before displaying any signage near roads.

Any complaints about the content of election signage should be made to the candidate, political party or campaigner that has authorised the sign in the first instance.

The ECQ only regulates the authorisation of election material during the election period (the time between the writ of election and election day). The ECQ does not have the ability to remove, or direct the removal of, election signage on roads.

If theft or damage to election signage occurs, please report the situation to the police.

Signage within 100 metres of polling places (locations where voting occurs) is regulated by the ECQ during early voting and on election day. There are restrictions on:

• the size of election signs
• the number of election signs per election participant
• the removal of signage after voting
• the authorisation of election signage

For further information, please see state Fact sheet 1 – Authorisation of election matter and Fact sheet 2 – Election signage.