Voting in Australia
Voting is compulsory for citizens 18 and over. Enrol with the AEC within 21 days of citizenship. PRs can't vote federally — but some councils let them vote locally.
Published 17 May 2026 · Last reviewed 17 May 2026
If you're an Australian citizen aged 18 or over, voting is compulsory in federal, state and most local elections. You must enrol with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) within 21 days of becoming a citizen.
How to enrol
- Online at https://www.aec.gov.au/Enrolling_to_vote/ — the form takes about 5 minutes.
- You need an Australian driver's licence, passport, or citizenship certificate to verify.
- Update your enrolment within 8 weeks of changing address (the legal duty sits with you, not the AEC).
Provisional enrolment — for citizenship applicants
- If you've applied for citizenship but the ceremony hasn't happened yet, you can lodge a provisional enrolment with the AEC. It takes effect the moment your citizenship is granted, so you don't have to scramble in the 21 days after the ceremony.
- The provisional form is the same online enrolment form, with a section that asks about your citizenship application status.
What "compulsory" means
- You must turn up (or vote by post / pre-poll). A small fine applies if you don't.
- You don't have to vote validly — you can spoil your ballot if you like — but you must attend.
The election cycle
- Federal elections happen at least every three years. The most recent was 3 May 2025. Half-Senate elections and a House of Representatives election usually run together.
- State and territory elections run on their own cycles (usually four years).
- Local council elections vary again — every four years in most states.
- Enrolment closes at 8pm local time on a date the AEC publishes when an election is called — usually a week before polling day. After that, the roll is locked for the election.
Ways to vote if you can't make polling day
- Pre-poll (early voting) — early voting centres open progressively in the two-or-so weeks before polling day. In recent elections, roughly half of all voters used pre-poll.
- Postal vote — you apply via the AEC website. Applications for a federal postal vote close 6pm local time on the Wednesday before polling day. Your filled postal vote has to reach the AEC within 13 days after polling day to be counted.
- Overseas voting — Australian embassies and high commissions run polling stations during election windows.
- Mobile polling — the AEC visits hospitals, nursing homes, prisons and remote communities.
Permanent residents
- Cannot vote in federal or state elections.
- Some local council elections do let permanent residents vote (rules vary by state). Check with your council.
If you've just become a citizen at a ceremony, you'll often see AEC stands at the venue handing out enrolment forms. Fill it in on the spot — it's the simplest way to start the 21-day clock without forgetting. See the citizenship pathway from PR for the steps leading up to your first vote.