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Voter Registration

Australia Australia

VR001

Voting age
Question:What is the legal voting age in the national elections?
Answer: c. 18
Comments: If a person is only 17 years old and an Australian citizen then they may provisionally enroll, but will not be able to vote unless he/she has turned 18 by polling day. Commonwealth Electoral Act (1918), Section 93: Persons entitled to enrolment and to vote: (1) Subject to subsections (7) and (8) and to Part VIII, all persons:(a) who have attained 18 years of age.
Source: Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (amended in 2019) Section 93 (1) (a): https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00103/f85985f8-e256-4e11-ad31-884ed7f92224
Verified: 2024/09/09
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
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
b. Period of Residence
Comments: (a)Any Australian Citizen and any person who was a British subject on a Commonwealth electoral roll as at 25 January 1984. (British subjects not on the roll as at that date are not eligible to enroll even if they were resident in Australia at that time) (b)Residence in a division for at least one month. There are special enrollment provisions for people who are itinerants, Australian resident oversees, Australians living in Antarctica.
Source: Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (amended in 2019) Section 93 (1) (a) & 99: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00103/f85985f8-e256-4e11-ad31-884ed7f92224
Verified: 2024/09/09
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
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: Australian Electoral Commission.
Source: Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (amended in 2019) Part VI: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00103/f85985f8-e256-4e11-ad31-884ed7f92224
Verified: 2024/09/09
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
VR008

Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Question:Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Answer: a. Yes
Comments: Those who are eligible to vote and fail to register within 21 days of becoming eligible to vote are guilty of an offense and can be charged under the Criminal Code.
Source: Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (amended in 2019) Part VIII, Section 101: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00103/f85985f8-e256-4e11-ad31-884ed7f92224
Verified: 2024/09/09
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
The data on this page is continuously updated. Additional, but potentially outdated material is available here.