AEC says multiple voting very rare in Australia

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Multiple voting in Australian elections is very rare, according to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).

With the final day to vote in the referendum days away, a spokesperson for the AEC told The Mandarin that multiple voting is an offence.

“Real-time electoral roll mark-off occurs at all pre-poll centres and many polling day booths. All declaration votes are also subject to strict roll checks,” the spokesperson said.

“Multiple marks against hardcopy lists are identified at every event and is very rare.

“Every early voting centre has what are called electronic certified lists — these are laptops that provide real-time mark off on the electoral roll. This carries through to many polling places on the day as well.”

The AEC said there would be 5,500 electronic certified lists in operation during the referendum, which will increase to 10,000 in the next federal election.

“Anyone voting outside their division or via a postal vote uses a ‘declaration vote’,” the spokesperson said.

“Every declaration vote is subject to the preliminary scrutiny process — a strict roll check prior to admission to the count.”

The spokesperson said that scrutiny of declaration votes was open to scrutineers in a “highly transparent process”.

“Like all aspects of the count, preliminary scrutiny of declaration votes is open to scrutineers to observe in what is a highly transparent process,” the AEC spokesperson said.

“ A declaration vote received from a voter already marked off the roll is rejected.

“People found to have had multiple marks against the electoral roll in the past have been identified and there are ‘designated electors’ — people who can only cast a declaration vote.”

They added that multiple marks against the electoral roll had never been larger than the margin in a contest in federal elections or referendums.

“If it was, it would be identified and a result could be challenged in court,” the spokesperson said.

Last week, the AEC said on its X/Twitter account that requiring identification was a matter for parliament.

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