AEC stepping forward in quest for missing electors

AEC stepping forward in quest for missing electors

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is searching for an estimated 1.2 million people who are missing from the electoral roll.
As part of this search the AEC has embarked on one of its largest national mailouts this year, sending more than 843,000 letters with enrolment forms to where they think many of those missing from the roll could be. Across Tasmania, some 40,000 letters will be sent out in late November.

The AEC’s own research says that the younger you are, the less likely you are to be on the electoral roll, with young people aged 18 to 24 years believed to account for nearly one third of the 1.2 million missing electors. Australians aged 18 to 34, or anyone who has moved house in the last three years, have the greatest likelihood of not being on the electoral roll.

Locally, Hobart Area Office Manager Maree Ward has been getting ready for the return of enrolment forms and enquiry letters from the mailout, and the expected increase in public enquiries about enrolment. “In Tasmania we are looking for around 13,000 people missing from the roll who have moved in the last three years and not updated their enrolment. While the mailout is significant, it won’t reach everyone who is missing, or everybody who has recently turned 18 or moved address, so I urge any Tasmanian who needs to act on their enrolment to do so now,” she said.

“With both state and federal elections due in Tasmania over the next 17 months, now is the time to check your enrolment details, either online at www.aec.gov.au or by phoning the AEC on 13 23 26. This way you can be sure that you are correctly enrolled and don’t miss out on having your say on election day,” Ms Ward added.

In order to better serve electors, an enhanced interactive online enrolment form has also recently been introduced and is available on the AEC website, www.aec.gov.au and at www.australia.gov.au Whilst the form employs intelligent navigation and reduces the possibilities for errors, it still needs to be printed, hand signed by the applicant and sent to the AEC before the enrolment takes effect.
Australian Electoral Commission