Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

From who’s running, where to vote, and everything in between, here’s what you need to know about the Wagga byelection day.

If you live in the state electoral district of Wagga and are enrolled to vote, you are required to vote on September 8.

So if you live in these localities, you’re required to vote: Adelong, Alfred Town, Arajoel, Batlow, Bidgeemia, Borambola, Brookdale, Brungle, Bullenbung, Burrandana, Collingullie, Downside, Forest Hill, French Park, Galore, Gilmore, Gocup, Grahamstown, Humula, Kyeamba, Lacmalac, Lockhart, Malebo, Mangoplah, Milbrulong, Mt Horeb, Pleasant Hills, Pulletop, Oberne,  Osborne, Ryan, Urangeline, Urangeline East, Uranquinty, Talbingo, Tarcutta, The Rock, Tootool, Tumut, Wagga Wagga, Westby, Wondalga, Woodend, Yarrangobilly Caves, Yerong Creek, Yuluma.

If you have voted at a pre-poll location or submitted a postal vote, you do not need to vote again.

Voting centres open at 8am on Saturday and close at 6pm. Voters in the city of Wagga have 14 polling places to choose from, with the wider electorate having another 15 to choose from. 

You don’t have to vote at the closest polling place to home. More information on locations and how to get there can be found here.

Here’s who you have to choose from on the voting form.

The Daily Advertiser’s Jody Lindbeck sat down with each of the candidates and asked the political hopefuls to share a bit about themselves and their vision for the electorate. We’ve got a snapshot here, or click on each candidate’s name below for the full Q&A.

The candidates are, in ballot order:

As this is a byelection, you will only receive one small voting paper to fill out.

Choose the person you think is the best for your local area, the NSW Electoral Commission advises. Find their name on the ballot and write a 1 in the box next to that person’s name.

You can leave it at that, or place a number against each candidate in the order of your preference.

As preferential voting is optional in NSW state elections, frontrunners like Liberal candidate Julia Ham and independent Joe McGirr have left their how-to-vote cards blank after putting themselves at number one.

On Wednesday, independent candidate Paul Funnell posted a new how-to-vote card on his campaign Facebook page with Dr McGirr at number two.

Labor’s Dan Hayes and Shooters party’s Seb McDonagh are preferencing each other at number three.

The count begins after voting closes at centres and online at 6pm on election day. Experts and polling suggest we’re in for a long count, with a tight race looking like it’ll be determined by preference votes – so we’re unlikely to know before the end of the weekend.

Postal votes close on Wednesday and distribution of preferences, if required, will be undertaken on Thursday, according to the NSW Electoral Commission’s key dates for the Wagga byelection.

The penalty for failing to vote at a state election is $55. If you appear to have failed to vote, you will be issued a penalty notice that gives the following options.

You must reply within 28 days of the issue date of the notice. Failure to pay or resolve the fine can lead to Revenue NSW issuing a penalty notice enforcement order against you, which can lead to the cancellation or suspension of your drivers licence, cancellation of car registration or other punishments.

Read more