Tim McCurdy will buck a long-held political tradition and cast an early vote in the Ovens Valley election today, rather than on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Victorian Electoral Commission rules have changed this year, allowing people to vote two weeks before the November 24 election without having a valid reason why they cannot make it to the polls on the day.
Mr McCurdy, the incumbent Nationals MP based in Cobram, will vote at the Wangaratta Early Voting Centre this morning.
It comes after 8690 people took the option to vote early in Ovens Valley between Monday and Saturday.
Another 9276 people cast their votes in Benambra and 3777 in Euroa.
Opposition leader Matthew Guy also also voted already, but Premier Daniel Andrews will wait for Saturday for his turn. "I'll be very pleased to be going just around the corner from home and voting,” he said.
With early voting numbers in such high numbers, it is not expected that candidates will be making grand announcements in the final week of campaigning.
Mr McCurdy said the Coalition’s $1 billion decentralisation fund would result in better infrastructure and create jobs in regional areas.
“This massive investment will go directly into rural and regional communities and will include the return of the ‘putting locals first fund’ to help put local communities in control of their future by funding smaller local projects that support economic and social development,” he said.
“Our state is in desperate need of a bold vision to make sure all of our communities grow, not just Melbourne.”
Mr McCurdy also said Labor’s decision last week, to spend $340 million on 18 trains for the Ballarat and Geelong lines, was “an affront North East passengers”.
MORE VICTORIAN ELECTION COVERAGE:
- Receive our daily newsletter straight to your inbox each morning from The Border Mail. Sign up here