Australian Electoral Commission facts for kids

The Australian Electoral Commission, or the AEC, is a special group in the Australian government. Its main job is to run federal elections. These are the big votes for who will lead the country. The AEC also handles national votes on important questions, called referendums.

Each Australian state and territory has its own group for state and local elections. The AEC focuses only on federal votes.

The AEC also helps decide the boundaries for voting areas. These are called "seats." They make sure each seat has about the same number of people. This helps make sure everyone's vote counts equally. The AEC also keeps the electoral roll. This is a list of all people who are allowed to vote. State and territory election groups use this list too.

The AEC also teaches people about voting. They help with special votes for workers' groups, too.

What is the AEC?

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is a government agency. It makes sure that federal elections in Australia are fair. It helps everyone who can vote to do so easily.

AEC's Beginnings

The AEC started a long time ago, in 1902. Back then, it was part of a different government department. In 1973, it became the Australian Electoral Office. Then, in February 1984, it officially became the Australian Electoral Commission.

How the AEC is Run

The AEC is led by a few important people. There is a Chairperson, who is a judge. There is also an Electoral Commissioner. This person is like the head of a government department. Finally, there is a third member who is not a judge. This person is often the main statistician for Australia. The Chairperson and the non-judge member work part-time.

The AEC has a main office in Canberra. It also has offices in every state capital city. These include Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.

For each voting area, called a federal electorate, there is a special officer. This person is called a Divisional Returning Officer. They are in charge of the House of Representatives elections in their area. Each state also has an Australian Electoral Officer. This person is in charge of the Senate elections for that state.

What Does the AEC Do?

The AEC has many important jobs. These jobs help make sure elections run smoothly.

Running Elections and Votes

The AEC's main job is to run all federal elections. They also run special elections, called by-elections, when a politician leaves their job early. And they manage referendums, which are national votes on big issues.

Keeping Voter Lists Up-to-Date

One key duty is to keep the electoral roll current. This means making sure the list of people who can vote is always correct. They add new voters and remove people who have moved or passed away.

Following Up on Voting Rules

In Australia, voting is compulsory for adults. The AEC must follow up with people who do not vote. They check why someone might not have voted.

Sharing Election Results

After an election, the AEC provides all the detailed results. This lets everyone see who won and by how many votes.

Reporting to Parliament

The AEC reports to the Parliament of Australia. There is a special committee in Parliament that checks on the AEC's work. The AEC tells Parliament how elections were run. They also report on how successful the elections were overall.

Images for kids

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  Entrance to polling station run by the Australian Electoral Commission (2016 federal election)