If you are going overseas for a short period of time and you will be returning to your address in Australia, you should let the AEC know by completing and submitting an overseas notification form from the AEC website http://www.aec.gov.au/
If you are living overseas and currently on the Commonwealth electoral roll, you are eligible to vote in Australian federal elections.
You can cast your vote for federal elections by either voting in person at an overseas polling place (ie. an Australian Diplomatic Mission) or by applying for a postal vote. You cannot vote electronically.
Postal vote applications (PVA) are also available from the AEC web site now that the election date has been announced. The PVA must be printed off from the web site, completed and then either faxed or posted to your nearest overseas polling place. Your ballot papers will then be sent to you. The AEC will also have special pre-poll centres set up at some airports around Australia prior to polling day so that you may vote before you leave the country.
Enrolment and voting by people outside Australia is not compulsory, however if you are going overseas you are required to inform the AEC.
You can only vote whilst overseas if you are listed on the current electoral roll are you are eligible to vote from overseas. To check whether you are enrolled please visit the AEC Online Enrolment Verification Facility, alternatively you can phone 13 23 26 in Australia or +61 2 6271 4411 from overseas or email info@aec.gov.au.
You do not have to register as an overseas elector to vote, however you should register if you are going overseas for between 12 months and 6 six years to ensure that your name remains on the roll in your absence.
Enrolment and voting by people outside Australia is not compulsory. However, if you are enrolled and you do not vote, or apply for a postal vote at a federal election, your electoral enrolment may be cancelled.
Whether you are going overseas for either a short or long period of time you should let the AEC know that you will be away from your enrolled address. If you don’t you run the risk of having your name removed from the roll.
Be quick, there is only two weeks until polling day!
