May 2022

STANDARD RESPONSES
Secure telephone voting social media queries
Last updated: 17 May 2022

Approved by:  Cathie Kennedy
Position:      Director, Strategic Election Priorities Branch
Date:
16 May 2022

link to page 3 link to page 3
Contents

From 8:00am Saturday 14 May – 6.00pm Wednesday 18 May ............................................. 2
From 6.00pm Wednesday 18 May – 6.00pm Saturday 21 May ............................................. 2

1

TOPIC/THEME
RESPONSE
From 8:00am Saturday 14 May – 6.00pm Wednesday 18 May
I’m COVID-positive now.
You can apply for a postal vote until 6pm Wed 18 May. Visit link to find
How should I vote?
out how.
How do I return my postal
Can someone in your household help? Visit link for more info about
vote if I’m in iso?
postal voting.
I’m single / isolating away
The witness requirement is a key integrity measure for postal voting.
from family. Who can I get to
For most, including COVID+ postal voters, they’l  have easy access to
witness my postal vote?
an appropriate witness. For others, they may be able to arrange with
family or a friend, with safety measures in place, to complete this
requirement swiftly & safely.
What if my postal vote pack
If you test COVID-19 positive after 6pm Tues 17 May, you can vote by
doesn’t get to me until after
phone. Info wil  be here from 6pm Wed 18 May.
election day?
Why should I have to vote if I
We want to help all eligible people have their say. It’s why we have the
have COVID-19?
phone voting service this election.
If pushed
If you have a valid and sufficient reason for not voting and get a notice,
you can write back to explain the reason why you couldn’t vote.
Why can’t close contacts
If you’re a close contact without symptoms and don’t need to isolate,
vote by phone?
you can stil  vote in person at a polling place. If you have symptoms
and test positive after 6pm Tues 17 May, visit link for voting info.
Why don’t you offer other
It’s not covered in our legislation. There are options if you’re COVID-19
voting locations, like at
positive. Apply for a postal vote until 6pm Wed 18 May, and if you test
testing clinics?
positive after 6pm Tues 17 May you can vote by phone.
From 6.00pm Wednesday 18 May – 6.00pm Saturday 21 May
Who’s eligible to vote by
People who’re COVID-19 positive and will be in iso on Sat 21 May. You
phone?
must register by 4pm AEST on election day and vote by 6pm.
How do I register?
Go to [link] and follow the prompts. This is the quickest way to register.
You can also call 1800 413 960, but it might be a long wait.
What are the registration
Online registration
opening hours?
Opens Wed 18 May 6.01pm AEST.
Closes Sat 21 May 4.00pm AEST.
Phone registration
Thurs 19 May 8.30am to 5.30pm local time.
Fri 20 May 8.30am to 5.30pm local time.
Sat 21 May 8.00am local time to 4.00pm AEST.
2

TOPIC/THEME
RESPONSE
What proof do I need that I’m
If PCR – test centre location, date, time, and ref # from your health
COVID-19 positive?
authority. If RAT – receipt # from health authority you registered your
test with, and RAT brand and serial number (if avail).
Where’s my RAT serial or
Depends on the brand. Could be on the front or back of the packet, or
reference number?
next to an image or icon. It’s ok if you can’t find it – but you’l  need the
brand and receipt # from the health authority that registered the positive
test.
Why isn’t the registration
If you’re COVID-positive and trying to register to vote online, there
form working?
might be a delay. Check our website [link] for updates.
If there was a known outage - unresolved
Quick update about the online registration form for phone voting if
you’re COVID-19 positive. Still working to fix it. Visit [link] for more info.
If there was a known outage - fixed
Thanks for your patience. The form’s back up now if you’d like to try
again.
Why can’t I get through to
It’s busy, so might take longer for you get through. Thanks for your
register by phone?
patience. Keep trying, as queue times can fluctuate.
How do I vote by phone?
You need to register first. Details are at [link]. Once you’ve registered,
go to the link from your SMS or email to view an image of the ballot
papers for your electoral division. Have your eight-digit registration
number, PIN, and voting preferences ready.
How can I view my ballot
Ballot papers for all electoral divisions are here [link].
papers?
What are the phone voting
Thurs 19 May 8.30am to 5.30pm local time.
opening hours?
Fri 20 May 8.30am to 6.00pm local time.
Sat 21 May 8.00am to 6.00pm local time.
Why is it taking so long to
We know it’s frustrating to wait on the phone, especially if you’re not
vote by phone?
feeling well. This is an emergency service, and it’s busy, so there could
be delays. Our operators also need to follow a process to keep your
vote secure, which can take time. Make sure you have your voting
preferences ready.
How do I know my vote was
The operator wil  read your vote back to you. If you wish, you can have
recorded?
a different operator read your vote back.
How wil  they be counted?
After voting closes on election day, envelopes wil  be sorted,
reconciled, and packed for secure dispatch to their home division.
There, they’l  be receipted, opened, and counted on the Wed after
election day.
3

TOPIC/THEME
RESPONSE
What if I’m stil  in the phone
Phone lines are open until 6pm Sat 21 May / today. If you’re registered
voting queue when polls
and in the queue, you’l  stil  be able to vote. This might take longer if the
close?
service is busy.
I couldn’t get through before
Phone lines were open until 6pm Sat 21 May / today. If you registered
voting closed
and were in the queue at 6pm you were stil  able to vote.
If pushed
If you have a valid and sufficient reason for not voting and get a notice,
you can write back to explain the reason why you couldn’t vote.
Wil  I be fined for not voting?
If you have a valid and sufficient reason for not voting and get a notice,
you can write back to explain the reason why you couldn’t vote.
Why can’t I just vote online?
No online voting for federal elections is available, regardless of
personal circumstances.
Why isn’t phone voting
It’s an emergency measure during the pandemic. We do offer phone
always available?
voting for those who are blind or have low vision, and those in
Antarctica.
What about people who
Info in 33 languages is here. When calling 1800 413 960 to register or
speak another language?
vote, people can ask for an interpreter who speaks their language to
join the call.
What do you do with
We don’t ask for personal details when you call. You get a registration
information from when I
number, which you quote when you call to vote. This ensures your vote
register?
remains secret.
How can I make a
You can send an email to xxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
complaint?

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Document Outline