Enrolment

Enrolling to vote for elections in NSW

It is compulsory for eligible Australian citizens to enrol and vote. Voting enables you to choose who represents you in federal, state and local government. 

You can enrol to vote if you:

• are an Australian citizen, and
• are 16 years of age or older (but you cannot vote until you are 18), and
• have lived at your current address for at least one month.

The NSW Electoral Commission works with the Australian Electoral Commission to make it easy for you to enrol to vote. 

Visit aec.gov.au/enrol:

• to enrol online
• update your details online. 
• check your enrolment details 
• check which federal division, state district and local government area you are enrolled in, or to 
• download a paper enrolment form.

Once your enrolment is complete, you'll receive a confirmation of your name as it is shown on the electoral roll, and which federal electoral division, state electoral district, and local government area you are enrolled. 

Enrolling without a fixed address

Even if you don’t have a fixed home address, you have the right to vote. 

You are entitled to vote if you are an Australian citizen and aged 18 years and over. Local, state and federal governments make decisions that affect you. 

If you are experiencing homelessness you can enrol to vote with no fixed address. This means you will be on the electoral roll and can vote. 

You may wish to enrol with ‘no fixed address’ if you:

• are living in crisis accommodation or transitional accommodation, or 
• do not have access to safe and secure housing.

You can enrol online or print the form available via aec.gov.au/enrol

If you don’t have identification that’s OK. Print a ‘no fixed address enrolment form’ and ask someone who is already on the electoral roll to confirm they know you by signing the form.

You will be enrolled at the address you put on the no fixed address form. This address might be a support service where you collect your mail. You will vote for the candidates in the area in which you have enrolled. 

Enrolling as a silent elector

Your safety is important. If you believe that you or your family’s safety could be at risk when your address is shown on the electoral roll, you can apply to be a silent elector. This means your address will not be publicly available, but you can still vote.  

You can find out more about your enrolment options on our website at elections.nsw.gov.au.