Skip to contentInformation for people with disabilityInformation on accessibility
Australian Electoral Commission
Electoral disinformation is a type of information spread regarding the election that could potentially deceive voters – either by design or unintentionally. It may also be called misinformation or ‘fake news’.
This election you could come across disinformation in a range of communication channels, including online - a powerful communication channel used to spread electoral information quickly and widely. Like any powerful tool, online communication channels are vulnerable to being misused to spread disinformation that can incorrectly inform voters.
There are steps voters can take to protect themselves and others against disinformation in the 2019 federal election.
As the AEC generally does not know when an election will occur it must check and investigate the availability and suitability of polling places as part of its routine preparation. The AEC hired approximately 8 000 polling places for the conduct of the 2016 federal election. Due to the size of this preparation task, checking takes a number of months and possible polling place locations are refined and updated well in advance of each federal event. The AEC also actively seeks to secure polling places with access for people with disabilities in accordance with legislative requirements.
Please see the Election Timetable.
Please see Cost of Elections and Referendums 1901–Present.
This is a simultaneous election for all members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Under the Constitution, the Governor-General may dissolve both the Senate and the House of Representatives at any time (except within the last six months of the House of Representatives term) provided the special circumstances as set out in s.57 of the Constitution are met.
Seat classification is generally based on the results for that seat from the last election.
Where a winning candidate received less than 56% of the two candidate preferred vote the seat is classified as 'marginal'; 56–60% is classified as 'fairly safe'; and more than 60% is considered 'safe'.
Anything more than an absolute majority (50% + 1 votes) is the swing required for the seat to change hands (for example: if a member holds a seat with 56% of the vote a swing of greater than 6% is required for the seat to change hands).
A writ is a document commanding an electoral officer to hold an election, and contains dates for the close of rolls, the close of nominations, the polling day and the return of the writ. The Governor-General issues the writs for House of Representatives elections and the State Governors issue writs for States' Senate elections.
Senators are elected by a preferential voting system known as proportional representation.
Candidates for the Senate stand for a state or territory. It is a Constitutional requirement that each state be equally represented regardless of its population.
There are a total of 76 Senators: 12 for each state and two for each territory. Senators for each state are elected for a six year term. Senators for each territory are elected for a term equivalent to the duration of the House of Representatives. When a House of Representatives and half Senate election are held at the same time, 40 Senate vacancies are contested.
When a Double Dissolution is declared, as there was in 1987, all 76 Senate positions are made vacant.
The AEC acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters, culture and community. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.