The AEC provides assistance for people living with disability to ensure they are not disadvantaged from participating in the electoral process.
If you need assistance to vote at a polling place, you can ask someone to help you. Polling place staff are trained to assist you or you can nominate any person (other than a candidate) to assist. This could be a friend, relative or another person. If you do not nominate someone, then the polling offcial in charge may provide assistance.
In some circumstances, if you cannot get out of the car, ballot papers may be brought to you for completion.
A list of polling places will be made available on the AEC website in the weeks after an election is announced. Each polling place is given an accessibility rating to assist people with disabilities or mobility restrictions. These ratings are:
You can click on the rating listed against each polling place to fnd out more about its specifc accessibility features.
The AEC offers a number of voting options before election day that may meet your needs.
If you will be unable to travel to a polling place for a single election, you can apply for a postal vote after an election is announced. This means that your ballot papers will be sent to you in the mail. You can apply online, or at any AEC offce. A postal vote application form can also be sent to you if you contact the AEC via telephone on 13 23 26.
If you have ongoing mobility restrictions and will be unable to visit a polling place for multiple elections, you may be eligible to become a general postal voter. This means you will receive ballot papers in the mail before every federal election. You do not need to apply every time an election is called.
You may choose someone to help you complete the ballot papers and envelope according to your instruction, but you must sign or make a mark as your signature on the envelope.
If you cannot get to a polling place on election day, you may be eligible to vote at an early voting centre. A list of early voting centres will be available on the AEC website in the weeks after an election is announced. Eligibility criteria for early voting can be found on the AEC website or by contacting the AEC via telephone on 13 23 26.
The AEC provides mobile polling to some locations, including hospitals. Mobile polling locations are available on the AEC website shortly after an election is announced.
If you are blind or have low vision you can cast a vote in secret by telephone from any location, including your own home. Information on how to register for telephone voting will be available on the AEC website after an election is announced.
At a federal election, you are voting to elect people to represent you in the two houses of the Australian Parliament: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
You will receive two ballot papers:
Instructions on how to vote are printed on the ballot papers. If you make a mistake or are unsure of what to do, just ask a polling offcial for help or contact the AEC.
Electoral information, including the offcial guide to the federal election and candidate lists, will be available in accessible formats. This information can be obtained from the AEC website after the election is announced, or hard copy versions can be ordered by contacting the AEC.
