Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated Acts(1) The voting at a referendum shall be conducted as follows:
(a) before any vote is taken at a polling booth, the presiding officer at that polling booth shall exhibit each ballot - box that is to be used for the referendum empty, and shall then securely fasten its cover;
(b) each polling booth shall open at 8 am on the voting day and shall not close until all the electors who are present in the polling booth at 6 pm on the voting day and who desire to vote at the referendum have voted;
(c) the doors of each polling booth shall be closed at 6 pm on the voting day and no person shall be admitted to the polling booth after that hour for the purpose of voting;
(d) except where the scrutiny is to be proceeded with immediately after the close of voting at a polling booth, at the close of the voting each presiding officer at a polling booth shall, in the presence of a polling official and of any scrutineers appointed under section 27 who are at the polling booth, close, fasten, seal and take charge of each ballot - box used for the referendum and with the least possible delay forward the ballot - box for the purpose of scrutiny.
(2) A ballot - box used for a referendum shall not be opened except in accordance with this Act or, if the ballot - box has been used for both the referendum and an election, in accordance with this Act or the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 .