Info
Voter Registration
VR001
Voting age
Question: What is the legal voting age in the national elections?
Answer:
c . 18
Comments: 93
(1) Subject to subsections (7) and (8) and to Part VIII, all persons:
(a) who have attained 18 years of age;
shall be entitled to enrolment.
(3) An elector:
(a) whose name has been placed on a Roll in pursuance of a claim made under section 100; and
(b) who has not attained 18 years of age on the date fixed for the polling in an election;
is not entitled to vote at that election.
Source: Commonwealth Electoral Act of 1918, as amended on 8 March 2019, section 93: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00103
Verified: 2019/07/10
VR002
Other voting requirements
Question: Beyond age, what other qualifications exist for registering to vote and voting in the national elections?
Answer(s):
a . Citizenship e . Other
Comments: 93.
(1) Subject to subsections (7) and (8) and to Part VIII, all persons:
(a) who have attained 18 years of age; and
(b) who are:
(i) Australian citizens; or
(ii) persons (other than Australian citizens) who would, if the relevant citizenship law had continued in force, be British subjects within the meaning of that relevant citizenship law and whose names were, immediately before 26 January 1984:
(A) on the roll for a Division; or
(B) on a roll kept for the purposes of the Australian Capital Territory Representation (House of Representatives) Act 1973 or the Northern Territory Representation Act 1922;
shall be entitled to enrolment.
(7) A person who is:
(a) within the meaning of the Migration Act 1958, the holder of a temporary visa; or
(b) an unlawful non-citizen under that Act;
is not entitled to enrolment under Part VIII.
(8) A person who:
(a) by reason of being of unsound mind, is incapable of understanding the nature and significance of enrolment and voting; or
(b) has been convicted of treason or treachery and has not been pardoned;
is not entitled to have his or her name placed or retained on any Roll or to vote at any Senate election or House of Representatives election.
(8AA) A person who is serving a sentence of imprisonment of 3 years or longer is not entitled to vote at any Senate election or House of Representatives election.
Source: Commonwealth Electoral Act of 1918, as amended on 8 March 2019, section 93: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00103
Verified: 2019/07/10
VR004
Authority responsible for voter registration
Question: Which is the authority responsible for the registration of voters for national elections?
Answer:
d . Election Management Body (specify)
Comments: You can enrol online on the website of the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), or
complete and print a PDF form then return it to the AEC or
pick up a form at any Australia Post or AEC office and return to the AEC.
84
(1) The Governor-General may arrange with the Governor of a State, the Administrator of the Northern Territory or the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory for, or for the carrying out of a procedure relating to, the preparation, alteration or revision of the Rolls, in any manner consistent with the provisions of this Act, jointly by the Commonwealth and the State, jointly by the Commonwealth and the Northern Territory or jointly by the Commonwealth and the Australian Capital Territory, as the case may be, whether for the purpose of the Rolls being used as Electoral Rolls for State elections, Northern Territory elections or Australian Capital Territory elections, as the case may be, as well as for Commonwealth elections, or for any other purpose.
Source: The Australian Electoral Commission:
https://www.aec.gov.au/Enrolling_to_vote/About_Electoral_Roll/
Commonwealth Electoral Act of 1918, as amended on 8 March 2019, section 84: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00103
Verified: 2019/07/10
VR008
Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Question: Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: It is compulsory by law for all eligible Australian citizens to enrol and vote in federal elections, by-elections and referendums.
245
(1) It shall be the duty of every elector to vote at each election.
(Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, section 245).
156.
(1) It shall be the duty of every elector to record his vote at any election for the region or district for which he is enrolled unless he is prevented from doing so by absence from the State, or by illness or infirmity, or any physical incapacity on the day of the election.
(Western Australia Electoral Act 1907, section 156).
Source: https://www.aec.gov.au/enrol/
Commonwealth Electoral Act of 1918, as amended on 8 March 2019, section 245: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00103
Western Australia Electoral Act 1907, section 156: https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/main_mrtitle_290_homepage.html
Verified: 2019/08/01
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