Special category enrolment

If you believe that your safety or the safety of your family could be put at risk when your address is shown on the electoral roll, you can apply for silent elector status.

As a silent elector, your name is shown on the electoral roll and available to the public but your address is not. Each application is considered on a case-by-case basis to decide whether it meets the legal conditions for silent elector status. 

Learn more about silent electors 

Registering as a general postal voter means that you will automatically be sent ballot papers for each election. You do not need to re-apply for future elections.

Learn more about General postal voters

If you are eligible to enrol to vote but do not have a permanent residential address, you can still apply for enrolment. The district that you enrol in will depend upon your specific circumstances.

Learn more about enrolment for people with no fixed address

People experiencing homelessness should enrol under the no fixed address category. If you don’t vote at an election you won’t be fined and your name will remain on the electoral roll.

Learn more about enrolment for people with no fixed address

People working in Antarctica can register as Antarctic electors, but it is not compulsory.

Learn more about Antarctic electors 

If you are eligible to vote and are serving a prison sentence of less than 12 months, you can enrol and vote at State and local government elections. 

Learn more about enrolment as a prisoner

If you are unable to sign your name due to a physical disability, you can ask someone to complete and sign an enrolment form on your behalf.

You must also provide a written certificate from a registered medical practitioner stating that you are unable to sign your name.

Learn more about enrolment if you are unable to sign your name

If you are travelling around Australia for an extended period and intend to return to your permanent address, contact your local AEC office to inform them of your absence from your permanent address to make sure you are not removed from the electoral roll.

Your local electoral office can notate your enrolment record with your intended return date.

Contact your local AEC office

Should an election be announced while you are travelling around Australia, there are several voting options available to you including early voting or applying for a postal vote.

View voting options

If you are going overseas for six years or less and want to vote, you can apply to be registered as an overseas elector. If you are going overseas for an extended period and may not be able to vote, you should tell the Australian Electoral Commission so they can keep your name on the electoral roll while you are abroad. 

You do not need to tell the Australian Electoral Commission or the NSW Electoral Commission if you are overseas for a holiday but if you will be away during an election period you may be eligible to vote through other voting options.

View voting options