Media advice: Postal vote applications

Updated: 6 September 2023

Timing:

Postal vote applications are not yet open.
As per referendum laws, postal vote applications can only open when a writ is issued to the AEC.
For a 14 October referendum, a writ must be issued no later than Monday 11 September.
This means that the latest that postal vote applications will open is 6pm on Monday 11 September.
Postal vote applications will close at 6pm on Wednesday 11 October – providing, at a minimum, a full month for people to apply for a postal vote if they cannot make it in person.
People should only apply if they cannot make it to an in-person voting centre. There will be thousands of polling places open from 8am to 6pm on Sat 14 October, hundreds of early voting centres available in the two week early voting period as well as mobile voting and in-person voting centres overseas.

The AEC is aware that some people are receiving postal vote applications, or links to online postal vote applications, in the mail from third parties (e.g. political parties).
This is legal and occurs every election/referendum. However, the AEC encourages people who need a postal vote to apply directly through the AEC’s website instead.
Applying for a postal vote directly through the AEC’s website means a ballot paper will be able to be posted out quicker. The AEC also operates under the Privacy Act and postal vote applications involve the disclosure of personal details.
The AEC communicated about this in the same manner during the 2022 federal election – see previous media release.