Media Release 2009: AEC efforts underway to enrol 1.2m missing voters

28 April 2009

Over 1.2 million Australians are missing from the electoral roll and can't vote or have a say in federal, state and local government elections, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) said today.

Electoral Commissioner, Ed Killesteyn said the AEC was stepping up its efforts to find these missing Australians and encourage them to enrol to vote.

"We are currently sending over 550 000 personally addressed letters across the country to where we think these Australians – about half of those missing from the electoral roll – might be living."

The mail-out package will include an enrolment form and reply paid envelope.

"History shows that many Australians get caught unprepared by a federal election and miss out on their vote," Mr Killesteyn said.

"We know that to be a fact because people tried to enrol at the 2007 election after the rolls had well and truly closed. Some didn't realise that they were not enrolled until they tried to vote on election day."

Mr Killesteyn said that despite its best efforts the AEC was not able to track down everybody, and at the end of the day the law says that the onus is on the individual to make sure they are enrolled, and stay correctly enrolled to vote if they move address.

To enrol to vote, or if you need to update your enrolment because you have moved, you simply need to complete an enrolment form available at any AEC, Australia Post, Medicare or Centrelink office, or download it. You can also check if you're on the electoral roll online or by calling the AEC on 13 23 26.

"We understand that there is growing expectation among the public to do business electronically – while you can check your enrolment status or fill out an enrolment form online at the AEC's website, remember that the law requires you to print and sign the form with a pen and send it to us," Mr Killesteyn said.

Media contacts

Phil Diak | Director Media
AEC, Canberra
02 6271 4415
0413 452 539