You only have one week left to enrol for the ACT election

Elections ACT is encouraging residents to ensure their details are accurate before rolls close on 11 September. Photo: Region Media.

Enrolment for the ACT election closes at 6:00 pm on Friday, 11 September so you only have one week left to update your address and details or enrol to vote for the first time.

Enrolment and voting are compulsory for eligible electors. You can enrol to vote in the ACT if you are over the age of 16, are an Australian citizen and have lived in the Territory for at least a month, although you cannot vote unless you are 18 on, or before, election day.

If you have no fixed address, you can still enrol ahead of election day by contacting the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).

The election will be held on 17 October 2020, although pre-polling stations will open across the ACT on 28 September and remain open until election day.

While around a third of Canberrans chose to vote early at the last election, there is expected to be a large increase in pre-poll voting this year due to COVID-19 which will hopefully lessen the queues and number of people flooding polling places on election day, the ACT Electoral Commissioner Damian Cantwell said.

It is why the ACT Electoral Commission has extended the early-voting period for this election and is encouraging Canberrans to vote early where possible.

“Voting is available to all electors at locations across Canberra from 28 September to 17 October to enhance COVID safety for all participants,” Mr Cantwell said.

“Early voting centres will be open daily between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm with extended hours 9:00 am to 8:00 pm on Fridays.”

An extra 10 early voting centres have opened this year and more than triple the number of electronic voting terminals – which are being wiped down between use – are being installed.

Telephone voting for the blind and visually impaired will also be available this year.

The final order for this election’s ballot paper will be released on 24 September, a day after candidate nominations close.