The much-awaited announcement about Australia’s federal election date is finally here and it’s quickly kicked things into motion with the political race. The government is now in its ‘caretaker period’ (more on that below!) and there’s a bunch of important deadlines in the pipeline.
So, with Aussies heading to the polls in just over five weeks, here’s everything you need to know about the election and what you might need to do beforehand.
When is the federal election?
Speaking from Parliament House in Canberra on Friday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the next federal election will be held on Saturday, May 3.
It marks the beginning of a campaign that’ll span more than a month as Australia’s major parties, minor parties, and independents compete for your vote.
What is the caretaker period?
Don’t be surprised if you see this phrase used a bunch in the next few weeks. With an election called, the parliament is set to be dissolved by Governor-General Sam Mostyn. This means the existing Albanese government now acts as a “caretaker” to address important issues and duties until the next one is officially elected.
In practice, it means we’re not likely to see any major policies, appointments, or major engagements announced till a clear election result in May.
Of course, these rules don’t apply to any policy pledges the government makes during their election campaign — because those are seen as part of their election plan.
The rules also focus on when decisions are made, not when they’re announced. So if a decision is made before the election is called, it can still be announced during the caretaker period.
Are you enrolled as a voter?
Voting is compulsory for Australian citizens who are 18 years old and over, so it’s probably best to check if you’re enrolled (if you haven’t done so already). You can look up your details HERE.
There’s going to be a document issued soon — called a writ — that determines the final date of enrolment as well as other key dates for you to know. When this is issued, you typically have one week to get this sorted before the electoral roll closes.
Do you need to update your details?
Apart from those voting for the first time, there’s plenty of other reasons to check your enrolment details. Have you recently moved homes? Have you returned from a long stint overseas? If so, it’d be a good call to make sure your details are up to date with the Australian Electoral Commission.
Can I vote early or from overseas?
We’ve gone ahead and done a deep dive on this one (you can read all about it HERE) but if you’re looking for the broad strokes — yes you can!
Starting two weeks before the big day, you can head to one of over 550 early voting centres across the country. Finding your nearest one is easy, just head to the AEC website.
And in case you’re enjoying some time overseas and won’t be around for your democracy sausage in May, Australian embassies and consulates offer in-person voting during the two-week pre-poll period. Check the AEC website for locations and hours.
Plus, in the event you have access needs because of a disability, you are also allowed to vote by phone or post. There are a number of other special circumstances that might let you do this, including being sick, being outside your electorate at the time of voting, or not being able to leave your workplace to vote. Learn more about whether you’re eligible HERE.
How does voting work?
Whether it’s your first time voting or not, this is probably worth a quick refresher!
You’ll get two ballot papers, green for the House of Representatives (i.e. the lower house of parliament) and white for the Senate (the upper house).
For the House of Reps, number every box in order of preference (yup, that’s preferential voting for you). For the Senate, choose between numbering at least six boxes above the line (for parties) or 12 boxes below the line (for individual candidates).
Can you vote for the PM?
The race for the role of Prime Minister will see Labor’s Albanese go head-to-head with Opposition leader Peter Dutton.
However, in Australia, you vote for a local member to represent you in the House of Reps and the Senate.
So, unless the PM and opposition leader are your electorate representatives, you don’t directly vote them into parliament. Instead, they’re selected by their colleagues in the party, who determine the next leader.
What’s my electorate?
Fair question! You can look up your electorate on the AEC’s website by entering your post code or your locality/ suburb. Check it out HERE.
It’s actually a great idea to do this because since the last election, the boundaries of a number of seats — particularly in NSW, Victoria, and Western Australia — have changed.
Lead image: Getty
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