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Australian Electoral Commission
The election timetable was set in the writ that was issued by the Governor for Western Australia, His Excellency Mr Malcolm McCusker AC CVO QC, on 28 February 2014.
At the 2013 federal election there was a record 14.7 million Australians enrolled, including 1.45 million Western Australians.
It is compulsory for all Australian citizens residing in Western Australia aged 18 years or over to enrol and vote at the WA Senate election. All electors who have moved address since the 2013 federal election must also update their enrolment details.
All eligible voters in Western Australia need to ensure they are correctly enrolled by the close of rolls deadline of 8pm on Friday 7 March 2014. Eligible voters can check their enrolment details online.
Eligible Western Australians can enrol or update their enrolment details online.
Online was clearly the preferred mode of enrolment at the 2013 federal election with over 85 per cent of enrolment transactions completed online in the final week before the close of rolls deadline.
Enrolment application forms are also available at any AEC office, Australia Post outlet and Centrelink or Medicare service centres.
The overwhelming majority of voters vote on election day. However, a significant number of WA voters (241 711) cast an early vote at the 2013 federal election, either at an early voting centre or by post.
Voters who can't make it to a polling place on election day will be able to vote at any one of the early voting centres that will open in the weeks before election day in Western Australia.
If a WA voter is interstate, they will be able to visit the local AEC office in that state/territory to early vote once ballot papers are available.
The locations and opening times of these centres and AEC offices around the country will be available soon.
Early voting will also be available at several terminals at Perth airport to cater for fly-in, fly-out workers and people who are travelling interstate or overseas.
Voters are able to apply online for a postal vote online.
Postal vote application forms will be available at any Australia Post outlet or AEC office.
Postal vote application forms must be received by the AEC before 6pm on the Wednesday prior to election day.
Remote mobile voting teams will travel to reach remote outstations, pastoral properties, small towns, tourist resorts and mine sites in Western Australia to provide voting services.
Thirteen overseas voting posts will be providing voting services for WA voters who are overseas.
Voters who will be in other overseas locations can apply for a postal vote.
Voters who are blind or have low vision will be able to vote via telephone. This service is operated via an AEC call centre and voters can cast a secret vote from any location, without attending an AEC office.
At the 2013 federal election, 145 blind or low vision Western Australians voted by telephone.
The statistics below show the number of enrolled Western Australians who turned up to a polling place and cast a Senate vote at the last two federal elections.
1 348 797 (92.77% of enrolled voters)
1 274 709 (93.55% of enrolled voters)
The statistics below show the number of Western Australians who cast an informal Senate vote at the last two federal elections.
38 519 (2.86% of votes cast)
40 490 (3.18% of votes cast)
Nominations of Senate candidates must be received by the acting Australian Electoral Officer (AEO) for Western Australia at Level 13, 200 St Georges Terrace, Perth during business hours before 12 noon on Thursday 13 March 2014.
The sum of $2 000 per candidate in cash or in a cheque drawn by a bank or other financial institution on itself must accompany the nomination.
The declaration of candidates will occur via a public event in Perth at 12 noon on Friday 14 March 2014.
A box is printed above-the-line on the senate ballot paper for groups who submit a group voting ticket (GVT) with the acting AEO for WA before 12 noon Saturday 15 March 2014. A GVT is a written statement setting out a preference order of all candidates in the Senate election.
The GVTs will be published on the AEC website as soon as possible following their lodgement. Booklets setting out copies of all the GVTs that were lodged with the AEC will be available at every polling place on election day for use by voters. Early voting centres and interstate voting centres will also have copies of the GVT booklets.
The AEC's 'Your official guide to the 2014 WA Senate election' will be delivered to all Western Australian households before election day and will contain practical information on how to correctly complete the Senate ballot paper, as well as information on how to vote before or on election day.
Over 700 polling places will be open on election day with approximately 6 900 temporary staff employed to assist with the conduct of the WA Senate election.
The AEC estimates that the cost of the election will be approximately $20 million with around a further $3 million likely to be paid in eligible public funding following the event.
A candidate or senate group will be eligible for election funding if they obtain at least 4 per cent of the first preference vote. The rate of election funding for the 2014 WA Senate election will be based on the current funding rate of 252.781 cents per eligible vote.
Phil Diak
Media Director (National spokesperson)
02 6271 4415 or 0413 452 539
Peita Mamo
Assistant Director, Media
08 6363 8058 or 0403 396 226
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.