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Australian Electoral Commission
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If you’re experiencing homelessness or are travelling around Australia with no fixed address, you are still eligible to enrol and vote in referendums and elections.
Find out more below:
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The Constitution is a set of rules by which Australia is run. Australia's parliament can’t change the Constitution but can suggest a change that is then taken to a national vote. This vote is called a referendum and all Australian citizens aged 18 years or over must participate.
There will be a referendum on whether to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice.
During a referendum you will see a lot of information about the process of voting. Some of this information will be important for you to think about. Some of the information may be accidently wrong or being spread on purpose. So, stop and consider the information you see and hear to work out if you can trust it.
Is the information source:
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To vote in a referendum you must be on the list of voters, known as the electoral roll. If you have enrolled to vote in federal elections, you will already be enrolled for the referendum.
If you have no fixed address, you can enrol as an itinerant voter if you are:
If you are enrolled as an itinerant voter, you will not be fined by the AEC if you don’t vote in a federal election or referendum.
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Silent enrolment means your address will not be shown on future editions of the publicly available electoral roll.
You can apply to be a silent elector if you believe having your address included on the electoral roll could put you or your family’s safety at risk.
You are not able to be enrolled as an itinerant and silent elector at the same time. However, itinerant electors can apply to become silent electors when enrolling at a place of living.
Not sure if you are currently enrolled or if your details are correct?
Or call 13 23 26.
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There are many ways you can vote in a referendum or election. On voting day you can vote at any polling place within the state or territory where you're enrolled. If you're outside the state or territory where you are enrolled you will need to vote at an interstate voting centre.
If you can't vote on voting day, you can apply for a postal vote. Postal vote applications are made available on the AEC website. You may also be eligible to vote at an early voting centre.
AEC teams will also provide voting services at some homelessness accommodation places in the 2 weeks before voting day.
Details of your voting options are available on the AEC website. Voting locations are also published on the AEC website in the weeks prior to voting day.
Your ballot paper will have the proposed alteration to the Constitution on it, followed by a question asking if you approve the proposed alteration. In the box on the referendum ballot paper write:
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For a referendum to be passed a ‘double majority’ must be achieved. Watch this video to learn more.
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If a double majority is achieved and the referendum is passed the Constitution must be changed.
If a double majority is not achieved the referendum in not passed and the Constitution cannot be changed.
The AEC acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters, culture and community. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.