General News
14 September, 2023
Enrol now to vote in the referendum
With the writ for the 2023 referendum on the Voice to Parliament issued this week, Australians are a step closer to casting their vote on the matter but time is running out for those who haven’t enrolled yet with only three days left to register...
With the writ for the 2023 referendum on the Voice to Parliament issued this week, Australians are a step closer to casting their vote on the matter but time is running out for those who haven’t enrolled yet with only three days left to register.
On Monday, September 11, Governor-General David Hurley set the referendum into motion by issuing the writ for the same to the Australian Electoral Commissioner — which means that key dates pertaining to the vote have now been confirmed.
While October 14 is set to be the voting day, people also need to be aware of other important dates that are part of the referendum timeline, including the enrolment deadline which is fast approaching and will expire at 8 pm on Monday, September 18.
To enrol you will need one of the following: your driver’s licence, Australian passport number, Medicare card number, Australian citizenship number, or have someone who is enrolled confirm your identity.
Those who have voted in previous elections are already on the electoral roll and are not required to re-enrol — however, if your name or address has changed you must update these online.
According to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), if you have moved, you are eligible to enrol at your new address if you have lived there for at least one month.
It is mandatory for all eligible citizens to enrol and vote in the referendum — with postal voting applications also open from now until October 11 for people who are unavailable on the voting day.
All voters will receive a ballot paper, either at the polling booth or through the post, where they will have to write Yes or No to altering the constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
For more information on the referendum, to apply for a postal vote, or to enrol, visit aec.gov.au