Postal Voting in the Australian Capital Territory

Applying for a postal vote

To vote by mail, you can apply to vote by post in the 2024 State election from now. The ACT Electoral Commission will send you a ballot pack by mail that you will need to post back to them. Postal voting is free.

You can apply:

• Online
• By phone calling 02 6205 0033
• Register as a general postal voter.

General postal voters do not need to apply for a postal vote as they will be sent ballot papers automatically.

More details on how to apply will be published closer to the election. For more information see here.

What are the deadlines?

• Your completed postal vote must be postmarked before election day (19 October 2024) and reach Election ACT after election day (25 October 2024).

Am I eligible?

You can apply if you:

• Will be outside the ACT
• Will be more than 8km from a voting centre on election day
• Will be travelling and unable to attend a voting centre on election day
• Have a serious illness or condition that prevents you from attending a voting centre on election day
• Are approaching maternity
• Have religious beliefs that prevent you from attending a voting centre on election day
• Are in a correctional centre and prevented from attending a voting centre on election day
• Are caring for a person outside of a hospital setting, which prevents you from attending a voting centre on election day
• Will be working on election day
• Are a silent elector
• Are a person with a disability
• Believe that attending a voting centre on election day will place your personal safety or the safety of your family at risk

Voting by postal vote

You will be sent one ballot paper with instructions, a postal envelope and a reply-paid envelope.

You should fill out the election ballot papers in secret. You can ask someone to help you, but this person should not tell you who to vote for and must not tell anyone how you voted without your consent.

Once you have filled out the ballot paper, put it inside the postal vote envelope, seal the postal vote envelope. Do not remove the declaration flap. Election officials need to see your signature and security questions answer so your vote remains secret. Sign and date the postal envelope and answer the security question. If this section say ‘not applicable’ you do not need to write anything. Put the sealed and completed postal vote inside the reply-paid envelope. Post the envelope as soon as you can. You don’t need a stamp.