Away during the by-election
There are voting options for anybody who is away during the voting period.
Vote early
Early voting is open until Friday 1 May. Anyone can vote early – you don’t need a special reason.
Opening hours:
- 9 am to 8 pm weekdays
- 1 pm to 8 pm Anzac Day, Saturday 25 April
- 9 am to 6 pm, Friday 1 May.
- 8 am to 6 pm, Saturday 2 May
Interstate or overseas
All interstate and overseas voting in this by-election is by post. Applications to vote by post have now closed.
If you applied before the deadline, make sure you post your completed postal vote back to us by 6 pm on Saturday 2 May (your local time).
We must receive your completed postal vote by 6 pm on Friday 8 May for it to be counted. Please allow enough time for it to reach us.
Registered overseas voters
If you're living overseas and plan to return to Australia within 6 years of leaving, you can register as an overseas voter with the Australian Electoral Commission. Register at aec.gov.au/overseas.
If you're already registered as an overseas voter and a general postal voter, we'll post you a ballot pack from Wednesday 22 April. You don't need to apply for a postal vote.
Keep your overseas enrolled address updated with the AEC to make sure your vote reaches you.
Tell us you're away
If none of these options suit you, let us know you'll be away by filling in an 'Away from Victoria' form.
This form is linked to your enrolment details. To fill in the form, please check your enrolment first, and then click the 'Away from Victoria' button.
You can also download an overseas notification form if you've left Australia indefinitely.
Keep evidence of your travel in case we send you an Apparent failure to vote notice in the months after the by-election. This letter is your chance to explain why it appears you didn't vote. This notice is not a fine.