Australian Election - Voting By Australians Overseas

[whimsy]

Australians living overseas may be eligible to vote for up to six years after they have left Australia.

I am not trying to start a debate about whether or not one should vote or who to vote for. Just providing a 'heads up' for Australians overseas who may not realise that they may be able to vote, or that an election is imminent.

Australia is due for a Federal Election very soon. Many people are tipping that the election will be called this weekend. There has been a change to the deadlines for being on the roll to vote. If you have fallen off the electoral roll for some reason you will only have until close of business on the first working day after the election is announced to get enrolled. Enrolments and re-enrolments are accepted by fax, so it is still not too late.

You can check whether you are still enrolled here.

The Australian Electoral Commission has a web page detailing voting arrangements for Australians living overseas or travelling outside Australia on election day. http://www.aec.gov.au/Enrolling_to_vote/Ou...e_Australia.htm

Key points from the web site:

How do I vote from overseas?

Providing you are currently enrolled, electors who are overseas can vote either in person at an Australian Diplomatic Post which provides full consular services or by applying for a postal vote, which entails printing an 'Application for a Postal Vote' form off our website after the election date has been officially announced. A list of Australian Diplomatic Posts that Australians can vote from, will also be available on our website after the election has been announced.

If you are not enrolled

If you are not enrolled and have been overseas for less than three years and intend to return to Australia within six years of your date of departure, you may be able to enrol to vote in federal elections only.

http://' target="_blank">If you are enrolled

If you are enrolled in Australia and left Australia less than three years ago, and intend to return to Australia within six years, you may be able to register as an overseas elector to ensure your name remains on the roll.

If an election is held while you are outside Australia and you do not vote or attempt to vote, your overseas elector status may be revoked. You may subsequently be removed from the roll.

[whimsy]

LOL, well this topic has generated massive interest so far.

Anyway, in the interest of keeping the Aussie community in Thailand informed ....... The tipping was correct. Prime Minister John Howard called the Federal election today. The date of the election will be November 24th. IHT article.

If you want to enrol or re-enrol to vote, the deadline for accepting enrolments (can be by fax) will be 5pm Thai time, this Wednesday the 17th. AEC announcement.

AEC: Voting Overseas - Frequently Asked Questions

[think_too_mut]

I am registered with Oz Embassy in Tokyo and, as all others who are, receive official emails from them with exact instructions what to do.

Don't see the point of posting it here.

[RueFang]

I was just thinking about this today! Thanks for the info and links.

[Goinghomesoon]

Election has now been called for Saturday 24 November. Have confirmed embassy will open that day for voting.

[jackspratt]

Thanks whimsy. Downloaded my Application for Postal Vote, and about to send it off.

For those from Oz with the inclination to vote, but without the inclination to read the links;

- if you are already registered in Oz, you can vote at the Embassy in Bangkok, or apply for a postal vote (by email if you wish)

- you can also get the postal voting slip emailed to you, fill it out, scan, and lodge by email.

I normally wouldn't have bothered, but happy this time to exercise my democratic right to get rid of that lying little c*nt.

[think_too_mut]

Among other things, in an email that I received today from Oz Embassy in Tokyo, it says:

Voting at Australian federal elections is compulsory in Australia and all

Australian citizens aged 18 years and older are encouraged to vote.

Enrolment and voting by people outside Australia is not compulsory, however

if you are going overseas you are required to inform the AEC(www.aec.gov.au).