Postal voting

Postal vote applications closed at 6pm local time Wednesday 18 May 2022. Check application status.

Submitting your ballot papers

Postal votes must be received by the AEC by Friday 3 June 2022 to be included in the count.

Note: Remember to follow the full instructions provided and sign your postal vote certificate.

Ballot papers must be completed and witnessed on or before election day. We encourage you to do this as soon as possible after receiving your postal vote pack. Please follow the instructions on the inside of the postal vote pack. Once you have completed your postal vote, return it inside the white return envelope provided. The address to use to return your postal vote will be printed on the materials you received.

Your 2022 federal election postal vote pack will contain:

  • one postal vote certificate
  • one green House of Representatives ballot paper attached to the postal vote certificate
  • one white Senate ballot paper
  • Getting help to complete your postal vote / How to complete your overseas postal vote leaflet
  • one white return envelope.
2022 federal election postal vote pack

Overseas postal voting

If you are overseas you must return your completed ballot papers to Australia in time to be counted.

We recommend that you complete and return your ballot papers as soon as possible so your vote can be counted. You have only 13 days after the election for your ballot papers to be received by the AEC. This means votes must be received by Friday 3 June 2022.

See voting from overseas for a list of overseas locations to vote or to return your postal vote.

If you cannot show the unsigned Postal Vote Certificate and blank ballot papers to an authorised witness, please complete the Overseas postal vote: witness declaration alternative.

Further information

In accordance with s.193 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, an authorised witness for postal voting may be:

  • An elector whose name appears on the Electoral Roll
  • Outside Australia, the following persons are authorised witnesses:
    • an officer of the Defence Force or of the naval, military or air forces of a Commonwealth country,
    • a person appointed or engaged under the Public Service Act 1999,
    • a member of the civil or public service of a State or Territory or of a Commonwealth country,
    • a Justice of the Peace for a State or Territory or a Commonwealth country,
    • a minister of religion or medical practitioner resident in a State or Territory or a Commonwealth country,
    • an Australian citizen.

Please read the information in your postal voting guide for further instructions if you are unable to find a witness.

A person who is a candidate for the 2022 federal election cannot be an authorised witness.

Candidates or political parties may have sent you a postal vote application which contains their branding, logo or other materials. Candidates and political parties are allowed to send postal vote applications to households.

The party or candidate must forward your form to the AEC for processing if you decide to use the form sent to the AEC. The AEC has no control over what political parties do with the personal information you provide on your application form before they forward it to us.

You can return the application form directly to the AEC instead of the party or candidate:

  • Email: applications@pva.aec.gov.au.
  • Fax: 02 8009 0814.
  • Post:
    Australian Electoral Commission
    Reply Paid 9988
    [Your capital city] [Your state]
    (No stamp is needed if posted in Australia)

You don’t have to use the postal vote application sent to you by a political party or candidate. You can apply for a postal vote through the AEC.

FAQs

Tracking your postal vote

Completing and returning your postal vote

Updated: 21 May 2022