AEC: Postal voting? Action needed this week
Updated: 23 April 2025
The AEC is asking anyone who needs a postal vote, but has not yet applied, to do so this week.
The latest urging from the AEC follows earlier advice for people to plan their vote early and, if needed, apply for a postal vote early in the election period.
Australia has some of the best in-person voting options in the world. If a voter can turn up to a voting centre, then that is what they must do.
While the legislated deadline for postal vote applications is next Wednesday 30 April, anyone who leaves it until the final week risks their postal vote pack not arriving in time.
- People can apply for a postal vote on the AEC website.
Voters who do not receive their postal vote pack by Friday 2 May should, if at all possible, make arrangements to vote in-person on election day. Voters who fail to cast a vote will be contacted by the AEC and asked to explain why they did not vote.
Received your postal vote pack? Don’t delay
With around 2.2 million postal vote packs already distributed the AEC is also urging anyone who has received their postal vote ballot papers to complete them as soon as possible and put them in the return mail (using the reply-paid envelope supplied as part of the pack).
Once a postal vote pack is received, a voter must have completed their ballot paper, place it in the return envelope and had it witnessed before the close of polling on election day. (AEC)
