Registering as a General Postal Voter (GPV) means that you will automatically be sent ballot papers for each election until you change your enrolled address. This is generally for people who are enrolled at an address that is not near a polling place. This is distinct from a Postal Vote Application (PVA), which is a one-off postal vote and applies to a particular election only, ie. you are on holidays and will not be near a polling place for a specified election.

An elector can only apply to be registered as a general postal voter if they:

• live more than 20 kilometres from a polling place, including a place where mobile polling will be conducted;
• are a patient at a hospital or nursing home where polling will not take place;
• are not in hospital but, due to serious illness or infirmity, are unable to travel from their home to a polling place;
• cannot travel to a polling place because they are caring for a person who is seriously ill or infirm;
• are registered as a silent elector;
• are an elector whose religious beliefs, or membership of a religious order, preclude them from attending a polling place for all or most of the hours of polling;
• are registered as an overseas elector;
• are a member of the defence force, or a defence civilian who is serving outside Australia
• are an Australian Federal Police officer or staff member who is serving outside Australia
• are unable to sign their name due to physical incapacity
• are serving a prison sentence of less than 3 years, on remand or in periodic detention

Register as a General Postal Voter for:

• Australian Capital Territory - Federal and Territory Elections [PDF 98KB]
• New South Wales - Federal, State and Council Elections [PDF 157KB]
• Northern Territory - Federal and Territory Elections [PDF 101KB]
• Queensland - Federal and State Elections [PDF 141KB]
• South Australia - Federal and State Elections [PDF 128KB]
• Tasmania - Federal and State Elections [PDF 77KB]
• Victoria - Federal and State Elections [PDF 95KB]
• Western Australia - Federal and State Elections [PDF 125KB]

Contact your local AEC office

The AEC is organised on a wide geographic basis, with a National Office located in Canberra and a State Office in each capital city. In addition, there are separate Divisional Offices that service the 150 House of Representatives electoral divisions. For assistance completing AEC forms, or for more information, please contact your local AEC office.