V-Day is finally upon us. No, not Valentine’s Day — the day when Aussies will be voting either “yes” or “no” to the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. And with a record number of enrolments to vote, that’ll probably lead to bustling voting centres. So, we’ve jotted down all the info on where you can have your say tomorrow.
As enrolments to vote came to a close in late September, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) revealed that a record-breaking 97.7 per cent of Aussies have enrolled to have their say in the referendum — making it the largest enrolment in history.
Tom Roger, the AEC commissioner, described the number as a “source of Australian democratic pride”.
What also makes this exciting is that this referendum will be a first for many Aussies. In fact, anyone under the age of 42 will be voting in their first referendum ever — and if you’re slightly confused about how things are gonna go down, we’ve got a cheeky guide for you right here.
Here is some bite-sized information on where you can vote tomorrow:
Voting in person
On the official AEC website, most voting centres will be open between 8am and 6pm, local time.
9News reported that 8,000 polling centres are expected to be open alongside the 500 early voting centres. The venues can range from schools to public libraries, town halls and other public places across the country.
If you’re unsure of where exactly to vote, the AEC has a search tool in place to help Aussies find where they can cast their vote. The search results will also show you the time when these centres open and close.
Voting in person for people with disabilities
For people with disabilities, the AEC’s search tool has a function where you can search for venues that support specific needs. This can include wheelchair accessibility, voting from your vehicle, text-to-speech pens, hearing loops and virtual Auslan interpreters.
The AEC has also provided a webpage with different ways people with disabilities can be supported during voting, including accessible information about the referendum.
Voting Interstate
If you’re outta the state or territory you live in, you will need to vote at an interstate voting centre. In the same AEC search tool, Aussies can filter their searches to an interstate polling centre for referendum day.
Voting Overseas
People who will be out of the country have an array of options to pick from to have their say this V-Day.
Prior to October 14, Aussies have two weeks to have their say at early voting centres. Aussies can also apply for a postal vote, however, voters must’ve applied before 5pm October 11.
Another way — and probably the final option if you missed out on the first two — is voting through an overseas voting centre. The AEC website has a full list of centres around the world where Aussies can vote in person.
The AEC also recommended that Aussies who are overseas to “visit the High Commission/Embassy/Consulate website for your region regularly for further details, including opening times, any specific requirements or arrangements for entry, including for delivering postal votes.”
If you’re still unsure about behind the Voice to Parliament, we have an extensive guide right here. And if this is your first time voting on anything (CONGRATS!), we also have a guide on how to vote at the polling booths to make sure your vote is valid.
Alongside the search for polling booths, some Aussies are also trying to snag out the oh-so-delicious democracy sausage. Thankfully, this website marks all centres where you can grab a silly sausage after having your say.
Happy V-Day!
The post Not Sure Where You’ve Gotta Be To Vote Tomorrow? We’ve Got Ya Sorted With All The Info You Need appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
