Radio Grabs: One Million Missing Voters

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28th April 2009, 06:01am - Views: 1085






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28 April 2009

AEC efforts underway to enrol 1.2m missing voters


Over 1.2 million Australians are missing from the electoral roll and can’t vote or have a say

in federal, state and local government elections, the Australian Electoral Commission

(AEC) said today.


Electoral Commissioner, Ed Killesteyn said the AEC was stepping up its efforts to find

these missing Australians and encourage them to enrol to vote.  


“We are currently sending over 550,000 personally addressed letters across the country to

where we think these Australians—about half of those missing from the electoral roll—

might be living.


The mail-out package will include an enrolment form and reply paid envelope. 


“History shows that many Australians get caught unprepared by a federal election and

miss out on their vote,” Mr Killesteyn said.


“We know that to be a fact because people tried to enrol at the 2007 election after the rolls

had well and truly closed. Some didn’t realise that they were not enrolled until they tried to

vote on election day.”


Mr Killesteyn said that despite its best efforts the AEC was not able to track down

everybody, and at the end of the day the law says that the onus is on the individual to

make sure they are enrolled, and stay correctly enrolled to vote if they move address. 


To enrol to vote, or if you need to update your enrolment because you have moved, you

simply need to complete an enrolment form available at any AEC, Australia Post,


you’re on the electoral roll at www.aec.gov.au or by calling the AEC on 13 23 26. 


“We understand that there is growing expectation among the public to do business

electronically—while you can check your enrolment status or fill out an enrolment form

online at the AEC’s website, remember that the law requires you to print and sign the form

with a pen and send it to us,” Mr Killesteyn said.


*The 1.2 million missing Australians are broken down by State and Territory as follows:


State /Territory

Missing

New South Wales

Over 370,000

Victoria

Over 260,000

Queensland

Around 350,000

Western Australia

Over 130,000

South Australia

Over 80,000

Tasmania

Over 16,700

Northern Territory

Over 28,500

Australian Capital Territory

Over 7,500

Media enquiries:

Phil Diak 

Director Media, Australian Electoral Commission

02 6271 4415

0413 452 539






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