With the clock ticking down to the 8pm deadline, Australians are making a last-minute dash to enrol or update their details for the 2025 federal election — an event already set to make history for democratic participation.
More than 400,000 enrolment transactions have been lodged since the election was called, a surge that reflects what the Australian Electoral Commissioner Jeff Pope describes as “the best democratic base for participation our country has ever had.”
Despite a record-breaking enrolment rate of around 98%, the AEC is urging those yet to act to do so now — especially first-time voters and those who have recently moved.
Enrolling takes less than five minutes and can be completed online at aec.gov.au. For the first time at a federal election, Australians can use their Medicare card as proof of identity, making the process even more accessible.
“The fastest way to enrol is by completing the online enrolment form on the AEC website,” Pope said, adding that over 400,000 transactions — roughly 40,000 a day — have poured in since the announcement.
But time is running out. Paper enrolment forms must be completed at an AEC office by 8pm tonight. Posting forms is no longer an option; those unable to visit an office can upload their completed forms directly to the AEC website.
Voting is compulsory in Australia, and all citizens aged 18 and over are required by law to be enrolled.
Whether it’s your first election or your fifteenth, tonight marks the final opportunity to ensure your voice is heard in what is shaping up to be one of Australia’s most engaged federal elections yet.
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