NSWEC | Enrolment FAQs

Please note:
The electoral enrolment form cannot be used to apply for enrolment on the local government rolls of non-resident owners, occupiers and ratepaying lessees. For details about applying to be on these rolls visit local government enrolment.

Who can enrol to vote?

You may enrol if you:

are an Australian citizen, or a British citizen who was enrolled to vote in Australia on 25 January 1984; and
are 17 years of age or older, but you cannot vote until you are 18; and
have lived at your address for at least one month.

Do I have to enrol?

Yes. It is compulsory for Australian citizens, aged 18 and over to enrol and vote at federal, state and local government elections and referendums.

Do I have to vote?

Yes. It is compulsory for Australian citizens, aged 18 and over to enrol and vote at federal, state and local government elections and referendums. If you are on the electoral roll and do not vote you may be fined.

Why should I enrol?

Enrolling to vote allows you a say in who will represent you at federal, state and local levels of government. Each level of government has responsibilities that affect you and your community and can influence many aspects of daily life.

Who cannot enrol to vote?

You cannot enrol if you:

under 17 years of age
are not an Australian citizen
are of unsound mind (incapable of understanding the nature and significance of voting)
have been convicted of treason or treachery and have not been pardoned
are a permanent resident but not an Australian citizen

Am I enrolled?

You can check if you are enrolled and your details are correct:

through the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) enrolment verification facility, updated daily — results include your federal division, state electoral district and local government area

by phone 1300 135 736
by a visit to view the roll at your closest divisional AEC office or our office.

Can I vote if I have not enrolled?

It is important to enrol to vote as it allows you to have a say in:

who will represent you at federal, state and local government levels
how you and your community are governed

You cannot vote if you have not enrolled.

Can I check who is on the roll?

You can view the roll at our office or check your own details online.

I have changed my address from where I was enrolled, can I still vote?

To change your address, after 28 days at a new residence, complete an electoral enrolment form for federal, state and local government elections.

Forms and prepaid envelopes can be picked up from our office, post offices or an AEC office.

Completed forms can be faxed or mailed to your nearest divisonal AEC office or scanned and emailed to info@aec.gov.au.

If your new address is in the same electoral district as your old address there is no 28 day requirement to change your address.

If you have been at your new address for some time and it is in a different electoral district and you have not re-enrolled, you may have been removed from the electoral roll. If so, you must re-enrol before the close of rolls for the election.

If you do not qualify to be enrolled at your present address before the close of rolls you may vote at the address in which you are enrolled if you have lived there within the previous three months.

Can I vote if I am not on the roll?

If your name cannot be found on the roll you can make a declaration vote. Your ballot papers are inserted into a signed sealed envelope with your declaration about your entitlement to vote. This is checked by the returning officer from the information you provide before the ballot papers are included in the count.

Elector with no fixed address

If you are entitled to be on the electoral roll but have no permanent residential address you may enrol for the area where:

your next of kin is enrolled
you last had the right to be enrolled
you were born/have the closest connection.
Enrolment form for persons with no fixed address in NSW

Silent elector

If you believe a publicly listed address would place you/your family at risk you may apply to have only your name shown on the electoral roll.

Silent elector application form

Overseas elector

If you are going overseas for 6 years or less you can apply to be registered as an overseas elector. This entitles you to have your name retained on the electoral roll while overseas.

Overseas notification form

Antarctic elector

If you are going to work in Antarctica you can register as an Antarctic elector but it is not compulsory.

Antarctic elector registration form

Person unable to physically sign their name

If you are unable to sign your name due to physical incapacity, you may enrol by having someone complete and sign on your behalf. You must provide a written certificate from a registered medical practitioner with your application form.

Persons unable to sign their name due to physical incapacity electoral enrolment form

General postal voter

The returning officer will send ballot papers, when printed, to registered general postal voters. You can apply to be registered as a general postal voter if you:

live more than 20 km from a polling place
are out of NSW for longer than 3 months
are seriously ill or infirm in a hospital/at home and cannot travel
are caring for a person not in hospital who is seriously ill or infirm and cannot travel to a polling place
are in prison but serving a sentence of less than 12 months
have religious beliefs or membership of a religious order which stops you attending a polling place or voting on election day.
are a silent elector
are unable to sign your name due to physical incapacity and provided a written certificate from your doctor when you enrolled
General postal voter registration application form

Cannot attend a polling booth on election day

If you cannot attend a polling booth on election day you may apply for a pre-poll (early) or postal vote.

State elections: Voting before election day
Local government elections: Voting before election day

Provisional enrolment of 17 year olds

17 year olds may enrol so that they are able to vote when they turn 18. The advantage of provisional enrolment is that people who turn 18 on or just before an election day will be able to vote, even if the rolls have closed.

What information on the electoral roll is publicly available?

Publically available information is:

name
address
gender.

Who has access to elector information?

The general public can view the current electoral roll at any Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) office. The electoral roll used for the State Election 2007 is available for public viewing at our office.

Under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, the AEC may disclose electoral information to persons or organisations including:

Members of Parliament, Senators, registered political parties and candidates for House of Representative elections
electoral authorities of states and territories that have a joint roll arrangement with the Commonwealth
approved medical research and public health screening programs
Agencies, persons or organisations prescribed in the Electoral and Referendum Regulations 1940, including certain Australian government agencies and particular bodies for identity verification purposes under Commonwelath legislation relating to financial tracing and anti-money laundering. Details at the AEC prescribed authorities with access to electoral information.

The State of NSW

NSWEC provides electoral information including title, name, postal address, date of birth, gender and electoral area to:

Members of State Parliament and registered political parties
groups and candidates participating in the electoral process
certain health screening programs within National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines
State agencies including NSW Police, Sheriffs Office, ICAC, Department of Fair Trading, NSW Crime Commission and Office of State Revenue.

Where am I enrolled to vote at federal, state and local elections?

You can check if you are enrolled and your details are correct:

through the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) enrolment verification facility, updated daily — results include your federal division, state electoral district and local government area
by phone 1300 135 736
by a visit to view the roll at any AEC divisional office or our office.

I own a property and pay rates but don’t live in it, can I vote in the local government elections?

Property owners who pay rates but do not live on that property may apply to be included in the non-residential roll for their area/ward. A new application to your council office is required for each election as the non-residential roll lapses after every election.

The Local Government Act 1993 qualifications for owner of rateable land

I pay rates on a property that I lease/occupy, can I vote in the local government elections?

Occupiers of rateable land and lessees who, under the terms of a lease, must pay rates may apply to be included on the roll of occupiers and ratepaying lessees for that area/ward. A new application to your council office is required for each election as the non-residential roll lapses after every election.

The Local Government Act 1993 qualifications for occupiers or ratepaying lessees

How do I apply to be included on the council’s non-residential roll/roll of ratepaying lessees and occupiers?

A claim to be included on your council’s non-residential roll or roll of ratepaying lessees and occupiers must be lodged with your council general manager on the prescribed form available from the council office.

I own property and pay rates in the City of Sydney, can I vote in the local government elections?

City of Sydney property owners who pay rates but do not live on that property may apply to be included in the non-residential roll. A new application to our office is required for each election as the City of Sydney non-residential roll lapses after every election.

The City of Sydney Act 1988 definition of owner of rateable land

I pay rates on a property that I lease/occupy in the City of Sydney, can I vote in the local government elections?

City of Sydney occupiers of rateable land and lessees who, under the terms of a lease, must pay rates may apply to be included on the roll of occupiers and ratepaying lessees. A new application to our office is required for each election as the City of Sydney non-residential roll lapses after every election.

The City of Sydney Act 1988 definitions of occupiers and ratepaying lessees

How do I apply to be on the City of Sydney Council non-residential roll/roll of ratepaying lessees and occupiers?

A claim to be included on the City of Sydney Council non-residential roll or the roll of ratepaying lessees and occupiers must be made through our office on the prescribed forms available for these rolls.