Australian voters are reminded that this Saturday, 2 July, is election day and it is compulsory for every enrolled Australian to vote.
“Voting in the 2016 federal election is compulsory for all enrolled Australians. Polling places will open at 8am and close at 6pm sharp,” Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers said.
“More than 70,000 polling officials will be on hand at around 7,000 polling places throughout Australia’s 150 electoral divisions, to facilitate the votes of more than one million voters each hour polls are open,” he added.
The location of polling places can be found at aec.gov.au/where or by calling 13 23 26.
If voters are unable to vote at their local polling place on 2 July but will still be in their home state or territory, they can cast an ‘absent vote’ at any polling place within their state or territory.
If voters are in another state or territory on election day, they can only cast their vote at an interstate voting centre or an AEC divisional office. The locations of divisional offices and interstate voting centres are available from www.aec.gov.au or by calling 13 23 26.
Mr Rogers again urged all voters to take care when filling out their ballot papers to ensure their vote is formal and can be counted.
“‘How to vote’ instructions are listed at the top of each ballot paper as well as on signs located throughout each polling place. If you make a mistake, simply ask a polling official for a replacement ballot paper and start again,” he said.
Who voters choose to vote for is their decision, and voters may or may not decide to follow the how-to-vote cards that candidate representatives give them outside the polling place.
For in-language assistance on election day, there will be translated ‘How to Vote’ information at polling places. There may also be AEC officials at polling places who can speak another language. They will be wearing an ‘I Can Speak’ badge for identification.
Visit www.aec.gov.au/translated to find out more or call 1300 720 153
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