The Electoral Commission is encouraging voters who could be isolated by flooding at voting time to put in an application for a postal vote now before applications close on 29 November.

They can be submitted online at elections.nsw.gov.au or by phoning 1300 135 736.

If you have applied for a postal vote and it doesn't arrive, you will be able to use iVote, online and telephone voting, which otherwise has strict eligibility criteria. You can find out more on the website.

Pre-poll voting is also now available.

If you choose to attend a polling place in person, COVID-19 measures will apply. These include checking in and out; wearing a mask; bringing a pen from home or using one of the single use pens provided; maintaining physical distance and hand sanitising.

Pre-polling is now open in the 2021 Forbes Shire Council election - with a change of venue.

The Forbes Shire Council chamber is being used as the emergency operations centre during the current flood event, so pre-polling is now taking place at the St John's Anglican Church hall.

Pre-polling is open now through to December 3, from 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday.

There are 13 candidates for the next shire council. They are, in ballot order:

If you have enquiries, you can call 1300 135 736 from 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday, for assistance.