Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:C2025C00128:section:48
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:C2025C00128
Segment Type: section
Provision Reference: s 48
Character Range: 112224–113448

48  Hospitals that are polling places
 (1) In this section, hospital means a hospital that is a polling place.
 (2) Where:
 (a) a patient in a hospital is an elector for the State or Territory in which the hospital is situated; and
 (b) the patient wishes to vote at the hospital;
the presiding officer shall visit the patient for the purpose of taking the patient's vote.
 (3) When visiting the patient, the presiding officer shall:
 (a) take to the patient a ballot‑box, a ballot paper, and anything else necessary to enable the patient to vote; and
 (b) be accompanied by a polling official and such scrutineers (if any) as wish to attend.
 (4) A visit to a patient shall be made between 8 am and 6 pm on voting day or a day to which the taking of votes of the electors at the referendum is adjourned.
 (5) While the presiding officer is in the same room, ward or other place as the patient, this Act applies in relation to the taking of the vote of the patient as if the room, ward or place were part of a polling booth at a polling place.
 (6) A polling booth at a hospital shall be attended by a polling official at all times when the presiding officer is absent from the booth for the purpose of visiting a patient.