New citizens to enrol to vote this Australia Day as Australia celebrates ‘2012 Year of Enrolment’
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is encouraging Australia’s newest citizens to help kick off a year celebrating two important electoral anniversaries by enrolling to vote this Australia Day.
AEC Project Manager for Hobart Area Office, Maree Fasoli said that one hundred years ago our federal electoral system was changed so that all citizens became obliged to enrol to vote, as well as entitled to do so. And 50 years ago another important electoral change meant Indigenous Australians gained the right to vote.
“In this anniversary year, it is especially important that our newest citizens take up an important privilege of citizenship by enrolling to vote at their very first opportunity,” she said.
AEC staff will be on hand at citizenship ceremonies in Bellerive, Glenorchy, Kingston and Sandy Bay this Australia Day to assist new citizens to enrol to vote, and join more than 14 million Australians already on the electoral roll.
“It’s concerning that around 19,000 eligible Tasmanians are not enrolled and if an election was to be held they would will miss out on their vote,” she said.
It’s compulsory for all Australian citizens 18 years and over to enrol to vote and you must be enrolled before you can vote in Australian elections.
Australians can enrol to vote in three easy steps: go to www.aec.gov.au/enrol; complete the enrolment form, print and sign it; and return it to the AEC.
Enrolment forms are also available at any AEC office, Australia Post outlet, Medicare or Centrelink office.
To check if you’re enrolled to vote visit www.aec.gov.au/check or call the AEC on 13 23 26. The AEC website has contact details for people wishing to speak to someone in another language.
AEC
