The AEC continues to follow health advice about the safety of voters, and our staff, at polling places.
Safety measures at polling places
- Hand sanitiser will be available at polling places.
- Physical distancing will be maintained in queues and between voting booths wherever possible.
- Voters are encouraged to bring and wear a face mask if they have concerns about the spread of COVID-19.
- Every polling place will have a Hygiene Officer who'll focus on COVID-19 safety measures such as touch point cleaning and regularly sanitising used items such as pencils.
- There will be clean pencils available, and voters are also able to bring their own pencil or pen. Voters will be asked to deposit their used AEC pencil in the box at the exit of the polling place so that the pencils can be sanitised by the hygiene officer after every use.
When taking people's votes in other settings, such as mobile polling at residential aged care facilities, we'll be taking additional measures including those required by the facility.
There is no requirement that voters must be vaccinated for COVID-19 to cast a vote.
Staff safety
The AEC recommends, but does not require, that our staff be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
If you become unwell
Voters who become unwell before voting day should consider applying for a postal vote. You can apply to receive a postal vote up until 6pm on the Wednesday before voting day.
If it is too late to apply for a postal vote, consider taking reasonable safety precautions before attending a polling place to vote in person. These can include wearing a mask, bringing your own pencil or pen, physical distancing and limiting the time you spend in a polling place.
If you are unable to vote due to being unwell, we will write to you after the referendum asking why you did not vote. Sickness and hospitalisation are common and well-understood reasons for not voting, and our staff will take your health into account when reviewing your response.
Can I vote by telephone?
The AEC was able to conduct telephone voting for people in isolation with COVID-19 due to emergency changes to election laws that expired at the end of 2022. This means that telephone voting cannot be offered for people who have tested positive for COVID-19 at the referendum.
Telephone voting is only available for voters who are blind or have low vision, and for voters in Antarctica.