Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) have provided the notice below about forthcoming voting options for the State Election in Victoria.
A number of accessible voting options are available; including the option to have ballot packs provided in braille and magnification aids available at all voting centres. Sadly, Electronically Assisted Voting is only available at some selected early voting centres and is not available on election day. A list of these centres is below.
Whilst we welcome these options, we will continue to advocate strongly in support of secret, independent voting in Victoria and the development and use of both electronic voting, automated telephone voting, and assisted telephone (call centre) voting at both the state and federal level during the early voting period and on election day.
A notice from the Victorian Electoral Commission
Election Day
The Victorian State election will be held on Saturday 29 November 2014. Voting will take place between the hours of 8.00am and 6.00pm. The location of the voting centre nearest to your home or your intended location on election day is available by calling 131 832 for operator assistance.
Enrolling and voting is compulsory for all Australian citizens over the age of 18.
Please note Vision Australia Kooyong and Warragul will be Election Day Voting centres.
Early voting
If you can't get to a voting centre on election day, you may vote early in the two weeks prior to election day - Monday 17 November to Friday 28 November. There will be at least one early voting centre in every voting district across Victoria.
Hours of operation for early voting centres:
- Mon 17 Nov 9.00 am to 6.00 pm
- Tues 18 - Fri 28 Nov 8.30 am to 6.00 pm
- Sat 22 Nov 9.00 am to 2.00 pm
- Thurs 27 Nov 8.30 am to 8.00 pm
Voting by post
If you can't get to a voting centre on election day and are unable to vote at an early voting centre, you can apply to vote by post. From 5 November, postal vote applications can be downloaded from vec.vic.gov.au, collected from any post office in Victoria or be mailed to you if you call 131 832. If you apply for a postal vote, you can expect to receive your ballot pack from 17 November onwards once candidates have nominated.
If you are registered as a General Postal Voter - that is, you qualify to have your ballot papers sent to you automatically for elections, you will receive your ballot pack from 17 November onwards.
Braille ballot papers
If you would like to register to receive your ballot pack in braille, please call Sarah North on (03) 8620 1126 by close of business on 24 October. Braille ballot packs will then automatically mailed from 17 November onwards, once all candidates have nominated. Completed ballot papers must be returned by 29 November or alternatively can be delivered by hand to any voting centre on election day.
If you have already registered to receive braille ballot papers, you will receive your braille ballot pack from 17 November onwards.
Electronically Assisted Voting
If you would like to vote independently using tablet-based technology with simple gesture and audio prompts, you can do so at selected early voting centres from Monday 17 November to Friday 28 November. Please note that electronically assisted voting will not be available on election day. This technology also includes voting capability in 20 languages including English. Should you wish to use this technology, please ask the election officials at the voting centre, who may also assist you if you wish.
Early Voting Centres with Electronically Assisted Voting
Further information is available online at www.vec.vic.gov.au/Voting/Electronicvoting.html
Call 131 832 to have an operator assist you with the locations of the early voting centres offering this service.
Accessibility supercentres
Six accessibility supercentres will be available during the early voting period - 17-28 November. Extra services available at these centres include:
- Electronically assisted voting
- Auslan interpreters and audio loops
- Full wheelchair access and accessible parking space
- Talking boards for voters with communication difficulties
- Magnifying sheets
- Large pencils
- Bilingual/multilingual election staff
The accessibility supercentre locations:
- 12-14 Nelson Road, Box Hill
- 34-36 Cowie Street, North Geelong
- Cnr Lakeside Boulevard and Shearwater Drive, Pakenham
- Unit 3, 311 Gillies Street, Wendouree
- 18-36 Keilor Road, Essendon North
- 160-166 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood
Going to be away interstate or overseas?
Early voting will be available at Melbourne and Avalon airports from Monday 17 to Friday 28 November for extended hours to cover early morning and evening flights. Call 131 832 for airport voting hours and their location within the airport.
If you will already be interstate by 17 November, you can organise a postal vote application and have your ballot pack mailed to you at your interstate address, or you can vote interstate in person at the offices of the relevant state or territory electoral commission by telephone. Locations are available by calling 131 832.
If you will already be overseas by 17 November, you can call 131 832 to find the overseas voting location nearest to your destination. The early voting centre based in London will also have electronically assisted voting. If voting in person overseas, allow until at least 19 November for the ballot papers to arrive.
Voting correctly
For your votes to count, you need to complete two ballot papers - one for your District (the Legislative Assembly), and one for your Region (the Legislative Council).
When voting for a District member, you are voting for one representative only. You will have a list of candidates and should number them in order of your preference. Choose your most preferred candidate as your first choice or number 1. Then number all the remaining candidates in the order of your choice. Use numbers only.
When voting for the Region, you are choosing five representatives to represent you for your Region. You can place a 1 in a box above the line for a party or group and let the party or group choose the five representatives for you - OR - you can vote below the line. If voting below the line, you choose five candidates in the order of your choice. You can vote for more than five if you wish, but five is the minimum for your vote to be formal.
If you have any queries, please don't hesitate to call the Victorian Electoral Commission on 131 832.