Enrolment and voting guide for families, carers and supporters

Information about enrolment and voting if a person you support has a cognitive impairment, due to disabilities or age-related illnesses.

Enrolment

Who must enrol to vote?

Australian citizens who are 18 years of age or over, and who have lived at their current address for at least one month, must enrol to vote for all federal, state and local council elections.

It's important to discuss voting, where possible, with a person for whom you provide primary care, even if you consider that they may not be capable of voting.

Many people in our community have difficulties with reading, writing, or understanding when it comes to enrolling and voting.

With your assistance, they will be able to have their voice heard.

How do I help someone to check their enrolment details?

Enrolment details can be checked online or by calling our enrolment hotline on 1300 805 478. 

How do I help someone enrol to vote or update their details?

We work with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) to operate a joint online enrolment form.

Enrol to vote in federal, state and local council elections.

There are also several different enrolment forms to suit various needs, such as:

We can help you to work out the best enrolment form to suit each circumstance and can also send paper copies to you with a reply-paid envelope if that is more convenient than enrolling online or downloading a form from our website.

Am I able to register as a general postal voter?

If you are already on the electoral roll, you may be eligible to register as a general postal voter if you cannot attend a voting centre due to disability, health conditions, or caring responsibilities.

For state and local council elections in Victoria, this includes people who:

  • cannot travel (or are enrolled more than 20km from a voting centre)
  • are in hospital or care
  • are caring for someone who is seriously ill or infirm.

For federal elections, this includes people who cannot travel due to disability or care for someone with disability.

Do penalties apply for someone who has not enrolled previously?

No.

If I don't help the person to enrol or update their details, does that mean they won't be on the electoral roll or expected to vote?

They may still be enrolled to vote which is why it's important to help them check their enrolment details.

In certain circumstances, the VEC or AEC might receive advice from bodies such as VicRoads or Centrelink indicating that a person may be able to be automatically enrolled or have their address automatically updated. When this is the case, the person will receive a letter at their 'new' address to confirm there is no issue with automatically updating the electoral roll; this is called direct enrolment.

It is compulsory for people on the electoral roll to vote.

Voting

The right to vote is protected by Victoria's Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006.

Voting in all elections is compulsory for people who are on the electoral roll.

An election provides voters with the opportunity to make a choice about who represents them at different levels of government.

By participating in elections, people living with disabilities, illness or injury, can participate in their democracy and have their voice heard.

When is the next election?

Council and state elections have fixed election dates and occur every 4 years.

Current council or state elections

Federal election dates are not fixed but usually occur every 3 years. Check the AEC's website at aec.gov.au for the next federal election date (if set).

Where can a person in my care vote?

During Victorian elections, voting centre locations are published online at vec.vic.gov.au, including information about each voting centre's accessibility.

Families, carers, supporters and staff at voting centres can assist voters to read through ballot papers and complete their vote. Do not hesitate to ask for help when required.

Magnifiers, maxi pencils and accessible voting screens with additional seating are available at every voting centre.

Voting by post

Many council elections are conducted by post. In this instance, voting material will be sent automatically to the voter's enrolled address unless a postal address is specified on the enrolment form.

Carers and supporters can assist a person to vote at home, but the choice of who they want to vote for must be respected.

If the person is registered as a general postal voter, they will have their postal voting material mailed to them automatically for every election event.

What if a person is on the roll but can no longer understand the nature and significance of enrolment and voting?

You can apply to remove a person from the roll if they are incapable of understanding the nature or significance of enrolling and voting. This may be due to a medical condition or an injury.

A registered medical practitioner must complete the medical certificate section on a 'Removal from Roll' form. The form is available online on our remove someone from the roll page or by calling us on 131 832.

The person will then be removed from federal, state and local government electoral rolls. 

Need more information?

We publish resources to assist people with cognitive disabilities or illnesses to understand enrolment and voting, such as:

These resources can be ordered by calling us on 131 832 or emailing education@vec.vic.gov.au.

National Relay Service

If you are Deaf, hard of hearing or need communication support, contact us through the National Relay Service, then ask for 03 8620 1100.