Tomorrow Australians will have their say on the next government.Â
Eligible voters will head to polling booths in their electorate.
So how will it work?
First steps
When you arrive at one of the polling locations in your electorate AEC staff will ask for your name and address.
You must give the same name and address that you gave when you enrolled to vote.
Once they mark your name off, they will hand you two separate ballot papers – one green and one white.
You can then take your ballot papers to one of the cardboard voting booths.
Voting for the House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is where the government is formed.
The green ballot paper is for the House of Representatives.
It has a list of candidate’s names and boxes. Number each box from 1 to 8 in the order of your preferences, with 1 being your top choice.
Voting for the Senate
The senate is the who represents each of the states and territories.
The white paper is for the senate.
It includes two sections – one above the black line and one below.
You must fill out ONE section only.
The section above the black line includes political parties. The section below the black line has a list of candidates.
If you want to vote above the black line, number each box 1 to 6, with 1 being your preferred choice.
If you want to vote below the black line, number each box 1 to 12, with 1 being your preferred choice.
You are only required to fill out 12 boxes if you choose to vote below the line, but you can keep going if you would like.
What happens if you make a mistake?
If you make a mistake, take the ballot paper to the AEC staff and they will give you a new one.
Where do I put my ballot papers?
There will be two cardboard boxes, one labelled ‘Green’ and the other labelled ‘White’.
Put your green ballot paper in the ‘Green’ labelled box and your white ballot paper in the ‘White’ labelled box.
If you are unsure, ask the staff for help.
Once you have taken these steps, you have voted.
