Early voting or pre-polls opened on March 18 and will be available until March 24 ahead of the state election on Saturday, March 25. All votes must be cast on or before this date.

At the by-election for the Upper Hunter held in May 2021 just over 30 per cent of electors voted early.

Pre poll opening hours: Sat 18 Mar - Fri 24 Mar 2023. Mon - Wed: 8:30am - 5:30pm. Thu: 8:30am - 8pm. Fri: 8:30am - 6pm. Sat: 9am - 6pm.

Pre poll: Singleton, Youth Venue Auditorium

9 Bathurst Street, Singleton NSW 2330. Assisted access required, path of travel may be difficult.

Pre poll: Denman, Memorial Hall

30 Ogilvie Street, Denman NSW 2328. Fully wheelchair accessible.

Pre poll: Muswellbrook, Stan Thiess Memorial Centre

Victoria Park, Hill Street, Muswellbrook NSW 2333. Fully wheelchair accessible.

Pre poll: Scone, Upper Hunter Shire Council Administration Centre

135 Liverpool St, Scone NSW 2337. Fully wheelchair accessible.

Pre poll: Dungog, Doug Walters Pavilion

40 MacKay Street, Dungog NSW 2420. Assisted access. No designated accessible car park.

Pre poll Maitland, Church of Christ

1 Garnett Road, East Maitland NSW 2323. Accessibility: Assisted access, Building has lips and/or steps. May have limited circulation space in voting area. Path of travel from car park may be difficult.

Pre poll: Gloucester, Mid Coast Council Chamber

Railway Street, Gloucester NSW 2422. Assisted access. No designated disabled parking spot.

The 2023 declared candidates for the Upper Hunter are (as they will appear on the ballot paper):

READ MORE: Meet the seven candidates contesting the seat of Upper Hunter in the March 25 state election

Aberdeen Public School: Segenhoe Street, Aberdeen NSW 2336. Assisted access, No designated accessible parking spot. No accessible toilet.

Barrington Public School: 1 Kenmore Street, Barrington NSW 2422. Assisted access. No accessible toilet. No designated accessible parking spot.

Bolwarra Public School: 25 Bolwarra Road, Bolwarra NSW 2320. Fully wheelchair accessible.

Booral Public School: 2300 The Bucketts Way, Booral NSW 2425.

Branxton Community Hall: Bowen Street, Branxton NSW 2335

Broke Public School: Cochrane Street, Broke NSW 2330. Assisted access. No accessible toilet, Path of travel from car park may be difficult, No designated accessible parking spot.

Cassilis Public School: Coolah Road, Cassilis NSW. Assisted access, Building has lips and/or steps, No designated accessible parking spot, Path of travel from car park may be difficult.

Clarence Town Public School: Marshall Street, Clarence Town NSW 2321. Fully wheelchair accessible.

Denman Memorial Hall: 30 Ogilvie Street, Denman NSW 2328. Fully wheelchair accessible.

Dungog Public School: 9 Chapman Street, Dungog NSW 2420. Assisted access, No designated accessible parking spot.

Elderslie Community Hall: 758 Elderslie Road, Elderslie NSW 2335. Assisted access, No designated accessible parking spot, Path of travel from car park may be difficult, Building has lips and/or steps.

Glendon School Of Arts Hall: 897 Glendon Lane, Glendon NSW 2330. Assisted access, No designated accessible parking spot, No accessible toilet, Path of travel from car park may be difficult, Building has lips and/or steps.

Gloucester Senior Citizens Centre: 30 Hume Street, Gloucester NSW 2422. Fully wheelchair accessible.

Gresford School Of Arts: 42 Park Street, East Gresford NSW 2311. Assisted access, Access ramp does not meet standards, Building has lips and/or steps, Door width less than 760mm, No designated accessible parking spot, No accessible toilet, Path of travel from car park may be difficult.

Greta Arts & Sports Community Hall: 3 Water Street, Greta NSW 2334. Fully wheelchair accessible.

Jerrys Plains Community Hall: Wambo Street, Jerrys Plains NSW 2330. Assisted access, Path of travel from car park may be difficult, Building has lips and/or steps, No accessible toilet, No designated accessible parking spot.

Kirkton Public School: Standen Drive, Lower Belford NSW 2335.

Largs Public School: 1 Hunter Street, Largs NSW 2320. Assisted access, Building has lips and/or steps, No accessible toilet, No designated accessible parking spot, Path of travel from car park may be difficult.

Lochinvar Public School: 95 New England Highway, Lochinvar NSW 2321.

Maitland Police Citizens Youth Club: 3 James Street, Maitland NSW 2320. Fully wheelchair accessible.

Merriwa School Of Arts: Bow Street, Merriwa NSW 2329. Assisted access, Access ramp does not meet standards, No designated accessible parking spot, Path of travel from car park may be difficult.

Milbrodale Public School: 2615 Putty Road, Milbrodale NSW 2330. Assisted access, No designated accessible parking spot, Path of travel from car park may be difficult, No accessible toilet, Access ramp does not meet standards.

Mount Pleasant Public School: 226 Goorangoola Road, Bridgman NSW 2330. Assisted access, Access ramp does not meet standards, Building has lips and/or steps, No accessible toilet, No designated accessible parking spot, Path of travel from car park may be difficult.

Murrurundi CWA Rooms: 109 Mayne Street, Murrurundi NSW 2338. Assisted access, Building has lips and/or steps, Door width less than 760mm, No designated accessible parking spot, No accessible toilet, Path of travel from car park may be difficult.

Muswellbrook Indoor Sport Centre: Rutherford Road, Muswellbrook NSW 2333. Assisted access, No designated accessible parking spot.

Muswellbrook, Stan Thiess Memorial Centre: Victoria Park, Hill Street, Muswellbrook NSW 2333. Fully wheelchair accessible

Nillo Infants School: Belmore Road, Lorn NSW 2320. Assisted access, Access ramp does not meet standards, Door width less than 760mm, No accessible toilet, Path of travel from car park may be difficult.

Paterson Public School: Webbers Creek Road, Paterson NSW 2421. Fully wheelchair accessible

Rutherford Technology High School: 30 Avery Street, Rutherford NSW 2320. Fully wheelchair accessible

Sandy Hollow Progress Association: 1613 Golden Highway, Sandy Hollow NSW 2333. Assisted access. No designated accessible parking spot. No accessible toilet.

Scone High School: Gundy Road, Scone NSW 2337. Assisted access, No designated accessible parking spot. No accessible toilet. Access ramp does not meet standards.

Scone Public School: Hill Street, Scone NSW 2337. Assisted access. No designated accessible parking spot. No accessible toilet.

Scone Senior Citizens Centre: Oxford Road, Scone NSW 2337. Assisted access, No designated accessible parking spot Singleton Heights Public School Dorsman Drive, Singleton Heights NSW 2330. Assisted access, No accessible toilet, No designated accessible parking spot

Singleton High School: York Street, Singleton NSW 2330. Assisted access, No accessible toilet, Building has lips and/or steps.

Singleton Public School: Elizabeth Street, Singleton NSW 2330. Assisted access. Path of travel from car park may be difficult, No accessible toilet.

Stratford Public School: Avon Street, Stratford NSW 2422.

Stroud Public School: Erin Street, Stroud NSW 2425. Assisted access, Path of travel from car park may be difficult, No accessible toilet, No designated accessible parking spot, Building has lips and/or steps

Stroud Road Public School: Bucketts Way, Stroud Road NSW 2415.

Vacy School of Arts Hall: 779 Gresford Road, Vacy NSW 2421. Assisted access, No accessible toilet, No designated accessible parking spot, Path of travel from car park may be difficult

A map of the voting locations can be viewed at www.elections.nsw.gov.au. The website also give details about the accessibility and parking at some of the voting locations.

Applications to vote by post closed at 6pm on Monday, 20 March. General postal voters should have automatically receive ballot papers in the mail. More information can be found at www.elections.nsw.gov.au

Politics can be a little complicated but to break it down, New South Wales is divided into 93 state electoral districts.

Voters in each district like those in the Upper Hunter will elect one person to represent their district in the Legislative Assembly (lower house). These Members of Parliament represent their electorates for a term of four years.

Voters will also need to elect 21 of the 42 members of the Legislative Council (upper house). Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) are elected for a term of eight years. The Legislative Council is often called the 'House of Review' because of its role in scrutinising government legislation and holding the government to account.

Residents will be required to submit two ballot papers in the March 25 election, selecting a member for the Legislative Assembly and a Legislative Council representative.

The NSW Electoral Commission (NSWEC) Virtual Tally Room (VTR) will contain results for the 2023 Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council Elections and will go live on election day.