Australian Electoral Commission
Local elections are not run by AEC
The AEC conducts federal elections in accordance with the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, which includes a paper based voting system. The possibility of voting, or aspects of voting, to be conducted by electronic means is a matter for Parliament. Read More (+)
The AEC does, however, utilise other technology in the conduct of elections. This includes online enrolment transactions, electronic certified lists and the scanning of millions of Senate ballot papers during the counting process.
Electronic certified lists have been used in selected polling locations at the 2013 and 2016 federal elections as a trial of the technology and a means to introduce efficiencies into the process of finding and marking voters off the electoral roll. Further information.
Read Less (-)Immediately after each federal election the AEC scans large volumes of voter lists and follows up every case where a voter is marked off more than once. Read More (+)
After careful assessment, instances of multiple marks are distilled to the cases where the AEC cannot reasonably exclude the possibility that multiple voting has occurred. These matters are then for the AFP and the CDPP to consider – the AEC has no authority to prosecute multiple voting in a court of law.
In close seats, the AEC prioritises its examination of multiple voting in the post-election period to ensure that an election result is safe. Recourse exists if ever the number of multiple votes exceeded the winning margin in a seat. Further information about multiple voting issues.
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