Things can get a bit confusing during an election campaign,so here’s everything you need to know before you head to the polls.
The logistics of voting before,and on,election day.Kathleen Adele
Can I vote early?
Early voting opened on May 9 for anyone who can’t make it to a polling centre on election day.
There are a range of reasons you might be eligible to vote early,including that you are working on election day,you are seriously ill,or you are travelling.
To vote at anearly voting centre, you do not need to register,you can just walk in. You can find your closest early voting centre.
If you want to vote via a postal vote,you need to have registered for oneby May 18. The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) must receive your postal vote no later than13 days after the election.
Postal votes start being counted the day after election day,but because they can be received up to 13 days after election day, Despite the AEC indicating who will win on election night,the result will not be declared until all votes are counted.
You can find out more about postal votesand,if you’re living overseas,you can see if your country of residence accepts in-person or postal votes.
Do I have to vote?
It iscompulsory for Australian citizens aged 18 and over to enrol to vote and vote in Australian elections.
If you are enrolled to vote,but do not vote,you may be fined.
When do the polls close?
Polls areopen from 8am andclose at 6pm.
Polling places are usually located in public buildings,church halls or local schools,but if you’re unsure of where a polling place is,you can.
What if I have COVID-19 on election day?
If you get COVID-19 in the days leading up to the election,you can register for a postal vote up to Wednesday,May 18.
If you contracted COVID-19after 6pm on May 13 then a will be provided for you.
What COVID-19 precautions will be in place at polling stations?
A range of COVID-19 protocols will be in place on election day,including a requirement forall staff to be vaccinated and wear a face mask.
Some voting venues will have QR check-ins and capacity limits,which means that you may need to queue while waiting to vote.
Hand sanitiser will be available at all sites,and voting screens (which already have partitions) will be socially distanced and hygiene officers will clean them between use.
What measures are in place if I have a disability or mobility restrictions?
Each by the AEC comes with anaccessibility rating. It will mark whether it’s wheelchair accessible,has assisted wheelchair access or is not wheelchair accessible.
Mobile voting,where voting teams will visit facilities and remote communities,is available for some people who cannot attend polling places. You can find more on mobile voting option.
Telephone voting will be available for people who,for example,haveissues with their vision,but also for people who have COVID-19 on election day.
Who are the contenders?
Scott Morrison is the leader of the Liberal Party andAnthony Albanese is the leader of the Labor Party. One of them will be Australia’s prime minister for the next three years,but other party leaders,such as the Greens’ Adam Bandt and the Nationals’ Barnaby Joyce,also play a significant role in the election.
If there is a,that is,neither major party secures an outright majority to form government,they must win the support of the independents or minor party members who have been elected.
What are the seats to watch this election?
How does vote counting work?
Australia has apreferential voting system,which means that you must number the candidates on the ballot paper in order from your first preference to your last.
The graph below is a quick explainer on how preferential voting works,but if you want to know more about how voting systems work in Australia then.
When will we know who has won?
Counting votes can continue for many days after election day.
The AEC conducts a Two Candidate Preferred count of the House of Representatives ballot papers on election night,which indicates the likely outcome of the election.
If there is a hung parliament,which is where no party holds a majority in the House of Representatives,then it could take days or weeks for crossbenchers to decide which party to form a coalition with.
Crossbenchers are elected MPs who don’t belong to a major party. These could be independents or people who belong to minor parties.
The last time there was a hung parliament in Australia was after the 2010 election when it took.
Want to know what the 2019 election result looked like? Take a look at the results below:
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