Outgoing South Coast MP Shelley Hancock sending out postal vote applications is a "little bit sneaky", according to a Labor Shoalhaven City councillor.
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But Ms Hancock, who is not contesting the March election, said she was just ensuring everyone in the electorate had the opportunity to vote.
Councillor John Kotlash said his partner had received a postal vote application from Ms Hancock's office.
The front page of the application form features an ad for Ms Hancock and a reply paid envelope to send the completed form back to her is also included.
The mailout also included a cover letter explaining the Liberal government's achievements.
Ms Hancock is not alone in sending out these postal vote applications - the Mercury has heard sitting MPs in the Illawarra have been doing the same thing.
The Mercury understands it is legal for political parties to send out postal vote applications and receive those completed forms.
The form is then sent onto the NSW Electoral Commission, who mails out a postal voting pack.
Voters receiving such a postal vote application can also send the completed form to the commission themselves.
Unlike other MPs sending out the forms, Ms Hancock is not running in the election and that was the concern raised by Mr Kotlash.
"She's the retiring member so it's a little bit disingenuous, I think, for her to send her out how to vote mail with her name and face on it when she's not even going to be a candidate in the election," Cr Kotlash said.
"It should not be coming from her office funds. It should be coming from the funds of [Liberal candidate] Luke Sikora, who's the challenger.
"I think it's a little bit disingenuous, a little bit sneaky. And I think it's bending the rules and the rules aren't for this."
Ms Hancock said the application was approved by the Department of Parliamentary Services as communication to constituents.
"Members of Parliament provide a valuable service to constituents who may not be able to vote on Election Day by providing them with a postal vote application," Ms Hancock said.
"This is particularly important in this election as the Electoral Commissioner is unable to deploy the iVote system.
"I remain the Member for South Coast until election day and am ensuring all voters in the South Coast electorate have the opportunity to cast their vote."
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
