Leslie Massey
Unlike some other countries, Australia does not require its citizens to provide official identification before they vote. However, voter identification laws have been discussed in recent years. For example, in 2015, Queensland introduced a requirement for voter identification, but this was removed before the next election in 2018. In Western Australia, if you are voting in person, you will be asked to provide your full name and address to an Officer, who will check your name against the electoral roll. If you are voting by post or telephone, you will need to provide your address.
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What You'll Learn
No official ID required to vote in Western Australia
Unlike some other countries, Australia does not require its citizens to provide official identification before they vote. This means that no official ID is required to vote in Western Australia. However, when you arrive at a polling place, you will be asked to provide your full name and address, and you will be asked if you have voted before in the election. This process is in place to ensure that each elector only votes once.
If your name cannot be found on the electoral roll, you may be asked to provide more information to prove your identity, and you will be directed to another official regarding a provisional or absent declaration vote. In this case, you may need to provide identification information, and your enrolment will be processed before your ballot papers are included in the count.
In Western Australia, electors who are blind, have low vision, or have a physical disability can vote by telephone. Electors who are overseas or going overseas can vote at an early voting centre or by postal vote. Postal voting packs can be sent to any address in Australia or overseas.
It is important to note that while no official ID is required to vote in Western Australia, voter identification laws have been discussed in recent years, and the requirements may change in the future.
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Verbal questions asked to confirm identity
In Western Australia, no official identification is required of voters at a polling location to prove their right to receive voting papers. However, there are three verbal questions required by law that voters must answer: full name, address, and whether they have voted before in the election. These questions are not considered an adequate test of a person's actual identity.
If the answers to these verbal questions match the information on the electoral roll, the official will rule a line through the person's name and give them their ballot papers to fill in. If there is a discrepancy, the person can apply for and cast a provisional vote, which may be included in the election count.
If you do not have any of the accepted forms of identification, you can have a witness confirm your identity. A witness can be any enrolled elector.
Remote electronic voting has also been used in Western Australia for voters with disabilities in 2017.
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Provisional votes for those not on the electoral roll
In Western Australia, electors who cannot be found on the electoral roll will be directed to another official regarding a provisional vote. A provisional vote is a type of vote that may be included in the election count. Electors will be given a provisional vote and will need to provide identification information. Their enrolment will then be processed before their ballot papers are included in the count.
Upon entering the polling place, electors should make themselves known to the Queue Controller or an Issuing Officer. The Officer will ask if they have voted before in the election, for their full name, and their address. If their name cannot be found, they will be directed to another official for a provisional vote. The elector will then be issued two ballot papers, one for their Legislative Assembly district and one for the Legislative Council electorate.
Provisional votes are also available for electors voting outside their electoral district. Officers will assist electors in establishing which district they are enrolled in before issuing the relevant papers. Electors who are unable to attend a polling place in their own electorate can cast an absent vote in another electorate on polling day. Their ballot papers will later be added to the tally in their home electorate.
It is important to note that no official identification is required of voters at a polling location to prove their right to receive voting papers. However, voters may be asked verbal questions about their name, address, and whether they have voted in the election.
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Remote voting options available
If you are unable to get to a polling place on election day, there are several remote voting options available to you in Western Australia. These include:
- Early voting at an early voting centre before election day.
- Postal voting, where you complete your ballot and post it to electoral officials before election day. You may be eligible to register as a general postal voter if you live more than 20 kilometres from the nearest polling place.
- Mobile voting, where electoral officials bring election materials to institutions and remote locations to allow voters to cast their ballots. Mobile voting teams visit residential aged care homes, some mental health facilities and remote areas of Australia, as well as certain homeless shelters, prisons, and other locations.
- Telephone voting is available for voters who are blind or have low vision.
- Remote electronic voting has been used in Western Australia for voters with disabilities.
Please note that these options may be subject to strict timelines outlined by electoral laws, and you should check with the relevant electoral commission to understand the specific requirements and eligibility criteria for each remote voting option.
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Postal voting available for those overseas
If you are a Western Australian voter who will be overseas during an election, you can apply for a postal vote. This is a convenient way to exercise your right to vote remotely. To do so, you must be enrolled on the electoral roll in Western Australia, and it is imperative that you complete your application as early as possible to ensure your postal vote pack arrives at your overseas address on time.
Registered general postal voters will automatically receive a postal vote pack in the mail, but if you are not registered as a general postal voter, you can apply for a postal vote after the election is announced. If your postal address has changed, you can update it via the online enrolment form. Your postal vote pack will include your ballot papers and instructions on how to complete your postal vote certificate.
To return your postal vote, you must send it back as soon as possible. It needs to be received by the 13th day after the election day to be included in the count. If you are overseas, you can find your nearest return address, which could be your nearest Australian embassy or consulate. Some states and territories allow overseas voting, but not all, so be sure to check the electoral commission website for your specific state or territory.
It is important to note that voting is compulsory in Australia, and being overseas is a valid reason for not voting. However, if you do not inform the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) by completing an overseas notification form, they may contact you to ask why you did not vote.
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Frequently asked questions
No official identification is required of voters at a polling location to prove their right to receive voting papers. However, you will be asked three verbal questions required by law: your full name, address, and whether you have voted before in the election. If your name cannot be found, you will be directed to another official regarding a provisional or absent declaration vote.
You can take a support person or friend with you to help you fill out the ballot papers. Alternatively, the election official can also assist you. However, they should not tell you who to vote for and must not tell anyone how you voted without your consent.
If you are travelling on election day, you can vote ahead of time at an early voting centre or by postal vote. Postal voting packs can be sent to your home address or any address you nominate within Australia or overseas.
