With the 2022 federal election around the corner, we want to help our patients and carers understand how they can participate in voting safely whether they are well or unwell, at home or in a health care facility. 

We’ve addressed the most common questions the PanSupport team is answering below. The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) helps people to participate in voting, further information is available on their website.

If I am unwell and in hospital, how can I vote? 

Due to COVID-19, AEC mobile voting may not take place at all hospitals and health care facilities during this federal election. You can apply for a postal vote here* or by contacting 13 23 26. Patients and carers can also vote in a nearby in-person voting centre or visit an early voting centre (pre-polling centre). You can search for an early voting centre near you on the AEC website. 
 
*For the 2022 federal election, all postal vote applications must be received by the AEC by 6pm local time Wednesday 18 May. 

I have an upper GI cancer and can be unwell some days. Can I get help to vote? 

If you need help to attend a voting centre, you can take a family member/carer/friend or you can ask an election official. An election official can assist you to fill out your ballot paper and will keep your vote secret (election officials cannot tell you how to vote). 
 
The AEC provides a range of ‘Easy read guides’ for voters. The information in these guides is written in an easy to read way. Pictures are used to explain some ideas. Easy read guides are also available in Simplified Chinese, Chinese Traditional, French, Hindi, Spanish and Vietnamese on the AEC’s translated resources page. 

I am a patient with limited mobility due to my treatment, what are my options to vote? 

If you can’t travel to a voting centre, you can apply for a postal vote online or call 13 23 26.  

Postal vote applications must be received by the AEC by 6pm local time Wednesday 18 May. 

If you have a serious illness, infirmity, a disability or mobility restrictions you may also be eligible to become a general postal voter and receive ballot papers in the mail for each federal election. 

To complete a postal vote, you may choose an assistant (such as a friend or family member) to help complete the ballot papers and envelope according to your instruction, but you must sign the envelope or make a mark as a signature. 

If you wish to vote in-person, a list of voting centres is available on the AEC website. Each centre is given an accessibility rating to assist people with disabilities or mobility restrictions. If you can’t get out of the car and the polling official in charge is satisfied that you can’t enter the polling place, someone may bring the ballot papers to you. 

I use a mobility aid, will I be able to vote in person? 

Yes, voters with wheelchairs or other mobility aides will be able to vote in person at early voting centres and voting centres. You can search for an accessible voting centre on the AEC website. Each polling place is given an accessibility rating to assist people with disabilities or mobility restrictions.

Election officials are also trained to assist people or you can nominate any person (other than a candidate) to assist. If you can’t get out of the car and the polling official in charge is satisfied that you can’t enter the polling place, someone may bring the ballot papers to you. 

I’ve moved since the last election, how do I update my enrolment? 

If you have recently moved, you can update your details through the AEC website or call 13 23 26. 

The federal electoral roll closed on 18 April 2022. However, you can still enrol or update your details for future federal, state and local government elections. 

I can’t be at my polling place on election day, can I vote early? 

You can vote early either in person or by post if on election day you: 

• are outside the electorate where you are enrolled to vote 
• are more than 8km from a polling place 
• are travelling 
• are seriously ill, infirm or due to give birth shortly (or caring for someone who is) 
• are a patient in hospital and can’t vote at the hospital. 

 A list of early voting centres is available on the AEC website. 

Is there information available in other languages? 

Information on how to enrol, vote and check the reliability of information is available in different languages on the AEC website. 

Read more . . .