Registering to vote

Before you can think about registering to vote, you must first ask yourself "Am I eligible to vote?"

You are eligible to vote if:

• You are an Australian citizen; AND

• You are over 18 years of age

If you have met those requirements, you can register to vote right now!

To successfully register to vote, you must successfully pass two identity tests. The first is proving your Australian citizenship. How you prove it is dependent on whether you were born in Australia or overseas.

Australian-born

If you were born in Australia and at least one of your parents was an Australian citizen when you were born, you are automatically an Australian citizen by birth. You only need two basic details to verify your citizenship:

1. The name of the place you were born (suburb/town/locality)

2. The state or territory of that location (e.g. WA, ACT, TAS)

Foreign-born

If you were born overseas, the process is slightly more complicated. However, if you have the right details on hand, it is relatively simple. You need three details to verify your citizenship:

1. Your Australian Citizenship Certificate number

2. Your name on that certificate

3. Your country of birth

The second identity test you must pass is the one which proves you are who you claim to be. In many ways, it is the same type of identity checks you would be required to undertake doing activities such as opening a bank account or applying for a Tax File Number. There are two main ways you can verify your identity: with your Australian Passport or Drivers License.

Australian Passport

If you are using your Australian Passport to verify your identity, you will only need to know your Passport number.

Australian Drivers License

If you are using your Australian-issued Drivers License to verify your identity, you will need to know your Drivers License number and the state or territory where your license was issued.

Once you have got all your details, simply click the button below and follow the prompts. This will redirect you to the Australian Electoral Commission website.

If you have submitted an application online, you will receive a reference number at the end of your application. You can head to aec.gov.au/enrol to check the progress of your application.

Whether you are enrolling for the first time or re-enrolling, you will receive a letter from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) confirming your enrolment. If you want, you can keep the letter handy for future reference.