Fact sheet - Enrolment

Updated 24 Aug 2021

You must enrol to vote if you are 18 or over and an Australian citizen. Your name and address appears on the electoral roll once you have enrolled. You can vote in elections and referendums for the ACT Legislative Assembly and for the federal parliament.

In Australia, the law says that if you are entitled to be enrolled, then you must enrol. One of the most important ways a citizen contributes is through voting. You cannot vote unless you are enrolled. This is because we believe that with the right to enrol and vote comes the responsibility to contribute to the way the ACT and the country is governed.

There were 306,000 people enrolled in the ACT at the close of rolls for the 2020 election. Enrolled voters for each electorate were: Brindabella 62,217; Ginninderra 63,844; Kurrajong 59,422; Murrumbidgee 59,934; and Yerrabi 60,583.

You can enrol online or update your name or address on the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) website www.aec.gov.au. If you are eligible, you can complete an enrolment form when you are 16 years old but you cannot vote until you are 18.

The AEC may directly place your name on the electoral roll or update your address on the roll, using information supplied by government agencies, without the need for you to complete a form. If this occurs, the AEC will contact you.

You can check your enrolment at www.aec.gov.au.

You can also view the roll at any electoral office. Only names and addresses can be seen. All other information kept on the roll is private. You can request that your personal address is not kept on the public roll if you believe that this would place you or your family at risk. This is known as being a 'silent elector'.