The same-sex marriage survey is being conducted by snail mail but there is no need for a sluggish response.
That's the advice from the Australian Bureau of Statistics after the mail-out of 16 million forms began on Tuesday.
Remote parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory are the first cabs off the rank, and despite a six- to eight-week window before surveys must be returned, the ABS would like them back as soon as possible.
"The absolute deadline is November 7 but please don't leave it lying around," deputy statistician Jonathan Palmer told the ABC TV on Wednesday.
"The dog might eat it or something.
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"It's easier just to pop it back in the envelope and get it in the post back to us."
Australians are also being asked to leave their creative streak out of the process with extra writing and drawings on the survey form - or even reply-paid envelopes filled with glitter, flowers or thank-you notes - because that's likely to throw a spanner in the works.
Participants should clearly mark either yes or no on the "very simple" survey.
"The worst case is we won't be able to process your form because we might have to destroy it and it might be regarded as suspicious," he said.
The ABS plans to publish the results of the same-sex marriage voluntary postal survey online on November 15.
