Who we are

The ACT Electoral Commission provides electoral services to the ACT community.

We are an independent statutory authority responsible for:

• conducting elections and referendums for the ACT Legislative Assembly
• determining the ACT’s electoral boundaries
• providing electoral advice and services to clients including:
  • political entities
  • community groups
  • schools
  • ACT residents.

View our corporate plan.

Services

We provide a number of services to the ACT community.

We conduct elections and referendums for the ACT Legislative Assembly that are:

• fair, open and democratic
• timely and efficient
• cost-effective.

Elections and referendums for the ACT Legislative Assembly

We provide different voting options including:

• electronic and paper voting options
• early voting
• polling day voting
• postal voting
• telephone voting
• mobile polling teams for hospitals, nursing homes, prisons and the homeless.

We also provide:

• accurate printed electoral information before polling day to households, free of charge
• accurate electoral information in formats suitable for diverse communities and people with disabilities
• election results generally within 2 weeks of polling day
• a review of the electoral legislation after each election.

Accessible elections

We make every effort to ensure all eligible voters can take part in ACT elections.

View:

• information for people with a disability
• technology assisted voting
• our Accessibility and Inclusion Plan 2024-2026 [PDF 328 kB].

Electoral integrity

We provide transparent and rigorously tested electoral systems. We safeguard our processes through our integrity assurance measures.

We ensure political entities disclose their funding sources. We also ensure they adhere to electoral advertising laws.

View:

• integrity assurance measures
• funding and disclosures.

Expert advice and contributions

We respond in a full and timely manner to all requests for electoral information and advice. Requests come from:

• ACT electors
• the ACT Government
• the Chief Minister and other ministers
• the Speaker
• Members of the Legislative Assembly,
• the Legislative Assembly
• the media
• other stakeholders.

We also:

• contribute to Assembly Committee proceedings
• maintain our knowledge base through ongoing research into electoral issues
• advise the Minister and the Assembly of any recommended changes to electoral legislation.

Electoral information

We provide accurate and current electoral information via:

• this website
• printed materials
• social media
• TV and radio campaigns.

We also respond to enquiries via telephone, email and in person at our offices.

View how to contact us.

We:

• respond to enquires in a courteous and informative way between 9 am and 5 pm on business days
• respond to all correspondence within 2 weeks
• provide access to enrolment processes
• refer matters outside our jurisdiction to the Australian Electoral Commission and other electoral authorities
• provide early voting facilities for interstate elections
• provide electoral information in a variety of languages

We provide information about:

• the Hare-Clark electoral system
• elections for the ACT Legislative Assembly
• the ACT Electoral Commission.

View:

• our electoral system
• information for voters
• information for political participants

Electoral rolls

We give access to current electoral roll information to:

• the public in our offices between 9 am and 5 pm, on business days
• Members of the Legislative Assembly, within their entitlements, in a timely manner.

We forward all electoral roll changes to the Australian Electoral Commission for processing.

View our Privacy policy.

Community engagement and education

We run community engagement campaigns for all ACT households, diverse communities and people with disabilities.

We also provide education materials and school and community visits. We help eligible not-for profit organisations hold their own elections.

View:

• School and community visits
• Resources for teachers and students
• Assistance with running elections

Establishment and legislation

The Electoral Act 1992 established the ACT Electoral Commission.

Read about our legislation.

Structure and staffing

The ACT Electoral Commission comprises three statutory office holders:

• part-time Chairperson David Kalisch
• full-time Electoral Commissioner Damian Cantwell AM CSC
• part-time member Ed Killesteyn PSM.

Electoral Commission members are independent officers of the ACT Legislative Assembly.

The Commission reports to the Legislative Assembly through the Speaker of the Assembly.

View the ACT Electoral Commission: Terms of Reference [PDF 362 KB].

View the Elections ACT organisational chart [PNG 80 KB]

Permanent staff

The Commission has 13 full and part-time permanent officers employed under the Public Sector Management Act 1994 (the PSM Act).

The Commissioner has Head of Service and Director-General powers under the PSM Act in relation to these staff, working under the operating title of Elections ACT.

The positions are:

• Deputy Electoral Commissioner
• Funding and Disclosure Manager
• Finance Manager
• Election Operations Manager
• Elections Cyber Security and Integrity Assurance Manager
• Office Manager
• Two Election Operations Officers
• Education and Information Officer
• Two Funding and Disclosure Officers
• Executive Assistant
• Finance Officer.

Temporary and casual staff

In the lead up to and during an election the Commissioner employs extra staff.

We hire these staff on a temporary and casual basis under the PSM Act and the Electoral Act 1992.

View our current vacancies.

Corporate publications

View our:

• Annual reports
• Election reports
• Policies
• Corporate plan