Voters targeted by SMS 

GOLD Coast nightclubbers will receive SMS messages urging them to vote against the Beattie government in next week's state election.

Thousands will be targeted by the Gold Coast's Licensed Venues Association, who are campaigning to generate anger against the Government's decision to impose a state-wide 3am nightclub lockout.

The association's Tom Tate is confident the SMS messages, due to be sent at a time closer to the September 9 election, would be a success.

"The young voters are very much well educated voters and a lot of the marginal seats on the Gold Coast will depend on a very small swing, 3 to 5 per cent," he said on ABC radio.

Under the lockout, introduced to cut street violence, patrons are not allowed to enter licensed premises after 3am.