Australian federal election: How to enrol to vote

With the federal election announced for May 18, it's important to be enrolled to vote. It's simple and this is how.

Members of the public casting their vote at Kelmscott Senior High School on election day of the Canning by election in Kelmscott, Western Australia, 2015 Source: AAP Image/Richard Wainwright

Voting is compulsory in Australia.

Failure to vote at a federal election without a valid and sufficient reason is an offence under section 245 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918.

You can check if you are enrolled to vote on the Australian Electoral Commission's website. 

According to the NSW Electoral Commission, if you are not yet enrolled to vote, you can: 

• enrol to vote online at the Australian Electoral Commission website
• download an enrolment form from the Australian Electoral Commission website to print and complete
• pick up a form and a pre-paid envelope fromNSW Electoral Commission's office, your local post office or an Australian Electoral Commission office. The form can be returned by post, fax, scan and upload, or in person to an Australian Electoral Commission office.

The Australian Electoral Commission will send you an acknowledgement advice when they have completed your enrolment. It will include details of your:

• name as it appears on the roll
• federal electoral division
• state electoral district
• local government area.

If you do not receive your advice within four weeks, you should contact the Australian Electoral Commission or call them on 13 23 26.

Who can enrol?

You can enrol to vote if you:

• are an Australian citizen, or an eligible British subject enrolled to vote in Australia on 25 January 1984
• are 16 years of age or older (but you cannot vote until you are 18)
• have lived at your current address for at least one month.

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