According to the Australian Federal law, all citizen over the age of 18 must register and vote in the general election in accordance with law regulations.
In Australia, registration and voting are mandatory by law. If you do not register, you will not be able to vote in this year's federal election, and if you do not vote, you will be fined A $20. If you forget to vote, the consequences will be even more serious, with a maximum fine of up to A $170 and court charges if court processing is required.
But how do you vote? How do I vote overseas? Are you going to have a big head when you just got naturalized? It turns out that having the right to vote is also a painful happiness! Don't worry ~ the following editor takes you together to learn about the Australian federal election voting!
Why do you have to register before you can vote?
The right to vote is one of the privileges of living in a democracy, that is, to exercise your say over who governs the country. In Australia, law requires you to register and vote in the electoral register. More importantly, it gives you the opportunity to choose who represents you in federal parliament. After you register, your name and address are registered in the federal electoral register, which is the voter list entitled to vote in the election.
If you are an Australian city of 18 or older, you must register and vote. You cannot vote unless you are on the register. The deadline for federal, state/territorial and local government elections varies;So, to make sure you're good at the election, you should register your name in the register.
How do I register?
Just fill out the registration form and provide the certificate of identification (, if any, with the driver's license number), so that you can be included in the voter register. If you do not have a driver's license, please refer to other certificate of identification methods on the registry.
Just fill out a form to register for federal, state / territory and most local government elections. In a few weeks, you will receive a letter of confirmation of registration.
Where can I get the registry?
- Download online-www.aec.gov.au
- Australia Post Office
- Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) any office
- External Office of the Inland Revenue Department
- Centrelink customer service cente
- Medicare Office
- Some rural trading centres
How to register correctly in the electoral register?
- Whenever your address changes (whether across the street or elsewhere in the country) or changes your name, you need to refill out the registry. Such a simple step will allow you to register in a new place, or update your name and eliminate invalid information.
- If you do not update the information, your name may be removed from the electoral register, so that you will be disqualified from voting.
- If you cannot find the confirmation letter of registration sent to you by AEC, you can check it on the AEC website or call 1323 26.
What should I do if I go abroad?
If you are abroad, you do not have to register and vote. If you go abroad on vacation or stay for a period of time, you should inform AEC. If you do not notify, your name may be removed from the register.
What if I don't want to open the address?
If you are worried that publishing your address in the electoral book will affect your safety and that of your family, you can apply as an anonymous voter.
Application forms and details can be obtained from the AEC website or by calling 13 23 26.
When and where do I vote?
Federal election day is always scheduled for Saturday. Polling stations across the country open from 8:00 to 6 p.m. On election day you go to the polling station where you are located to vote.
- If you are in your own place, you can go to any polling station in your own district to vote. The address of the polling station is listed on the AEC website and published in major newspapers a Friday before the election.
- If you are in your own state or territory but outside your own district, you can go to any polling station to vote. This is called absenteeism.
- If you are in another state or territory, you can only go to the special Interstate Voting Center to vote, the address will be announced at the time of the election. Or, you can vote before you leave home, or apply for a mail vote.
- If you are unable to vote on election day, you can vote at the early voting center or apply for mail voting. Keep in mind that if you apply for a postal vote, you can only send the ballot paper to you after the candidate has confirmed it.
- Please refer to the AEC website for more information on these options.
How to vote
You usually get two votes in federal elections: green congressman votes and white senator votes.
- On the green ballot, you need to fill in the numbers in each box according to the order of your choice.
- On white ballots, you can choose one of two voting methods. You can fill in a box above the black line for the party or group of your choice, or fill in the numbers in each box below the black line according to the order of your choice.
You can check the AEC website for details on how to vote, how to calculate ballots and how the electoral system works. (the Internet also allows you to practice how to vote!) if you do not fill in the ballot paper correctly as required, your ballot paper will be invalidated.
Who do I vote for?
You voted for the person who represented you in the Australian Federal parliament in Canberra.
Parliament is the center of government. It makes decisions and passes bills on issues that affect us all.
In a federal election, you vote to represent your councillor in both houses of parliament in Australia. Both houses refer to the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The whole of Australia is divided into 150 congressman districts. You vote to represent the congressman in your district.
Each state in Australia produces 12 senator, and the territory (NT and ACT) produces 2 senator. You vote to represent the senator in your district.
Interpretation service
Deaf people and people with hearing / speech impairment can make phone calls via National Relay Service. Special telephone users with hearing impairment can call 133 677 and ask for 1323 26.Speak and Listen (speech to speech transfer after connecting)
- Users can call 1300 5555 727 and ask for transfer 13 23 26 after connecting
- Internet forwarding users can connect to NRS and then request transfer 132326.
- For assistance in Chinese, please call 1300 720 142 in Chinese
Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) 's job is to organize federal elections and referendums, manage voter registers, and provide a range of election information and education programs.
