ALTHOUGH some early voting centres for the Voice referendum have already opened on Monday, the local one will not be open until this Saturday, October 7, with the nearest alternative before then being in Warrnambool.

The Hamilton Senior Citizens Centre location includes a virtual Auslan interpreter, accessible parking and will be wheelchair accessible.

The address is 100 Lonsdale St, Hamilton and the dates and times are as follows:

Saturday, October 7, 9am - 4pm

Monday, October 9 – Thursday October 12, 8:30am - 5:30pm

Friday, October 13, 8:30am - 6pm

Saturday, October 14 (Referendum Day), 8am – 6pm.

CORRECTION: In an earlier edition of the Hamilton Spectator, the statement ‘Ticks and crosses will not be acceptable’ was given, with the statement based on a video entitled ‘The Question’ released by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) where the presenter said, “to deal with the conspiracies” the instructions were that the single box on the ballot paper was the place to write YES or NO.

It has since been clarified that secondary ‘saving’ policies are enacted by AEC staff who count votes and seek to deduce the intentions of a voter – ticks will be counted as YES but crosses would be considered as informal.