It's been 24 years since a referendum was held in Australia so for voters it's either going to be their first, or the first in a long time.
The 2023 referendum will ask Australians whether to recognise First Nations people in the constitution through a Voice to Parliament.
About 6.4 million people will be voting in their first federal referendum on October 14 - based on age alone.
Do I have to vote?
Yes, like elections, voting in referendums is compulsory for all Australian citizens aged 18 and over.
People who are enrolled to vote in elections are already enrolled for the referendum.
You can check your enrolment details are correct or enrol for the first time on the AEC website.
A record 97.5 per cent of voters are enrolled according to the Australian Electoral Commission.
How do I vote?
The 2023 referendum is being held on Saturday, October 14.
Voting centres will be open on the day for people to vote in-person - with details on locations and opening hours to be provided closer to the date.
Early voting is available from October 2 in Victoria.
In Warrnambool, pre-polling is at the old Callaghan Motors site at 131-145 Fairy Street.
Postal voting will be another option while voters who are blind or have low vision can access telephone voting.
If you're going to be overseas for the referendum and can't vote early, about 100 in-person voting centres will be set up overseas or you can apply for a postal vote.
Where do I vote?
If you're voting on the day of the referendum, there will be a number of polling booths set up across the south-west:
- St Joseph's Primary School - 70 Botanic Road, Warrnambool
- Warrnambool East Primary School - Ward Street, Warrnambool
- Warrnambool Primary School - 3-13 Jamieson Street, Warrnambool
- Port Fairy Consolidated School - 2 Albert Street, Port Fairy
- Koroit Senior Citizens Rooms - 102 High Street, Koroit
- Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School - 28 Selby Road, Warrnambool
- Allansford Primary School - Frank Street, Allansford
- St Pius X Primary School - 78 Morriss Road, Warrnambool
- St John's Primary School - 263 Russell Street, Dennington
- Mortlake Soldiers Memorial Hall - Shaw Street, Mortlake
- Mailors Flat Hall - 837 Warrnambool-Caramut Road, Mailors Flat
- Woodford Primary School 8 Victoria Street, Woodford
- Nullawarre Public Hall - 2184 Timboon-Nullawarre Road, Nullawarre
- Panmure Mechanics Institute - 8828 Princes Highway, Panmure
- Woolsthorpe Primary School - 12 Manifold Street, Woolsthorpe
- Purnim Public Hall - 1711 Hopkins Highway, Purnim
- Hawkesdale P-12 College - 65 Mitchell Street, Hawkesdale
- Peterborough Community Hall - 19 Macs Street, Peterborough
- Portland Drill Hall - 26 Bentick Street, Portland
- Portland North Primary school - 42 School Road, Portland
- Bolwarra Primary School - 249 Princes Highway, Bolwarra
- Narrawong mechanics Hall - 61 Windham Street, Narrawong
- Heywood Senior Citizens - 5 Hunter Street, Heywood
- Macarthur Primary School - 23 Russell Street, Macarthur
- Dartmoor Primary School - 76 Greenham Street, Dartmoor
- Branxholme Public Hall - 98 McNichol Street, Branxholme
- Hamilton Senior Citizens Centre - 100 Lonsdale Street, Hamilton
- Penshurst Memorial Hall - 21 Martin Street, Penshurst
- Casterton Town Hall - 67-71 Henty Street, Casterton
- Ecklin Hall - Timboon-Terang Road, Ecklin South
- Terang Civic Centre - 105 High Street, Terang
- Camperdown College - 1 Wilson Street, Camperdown
- Cobden Civil Hall - 53-55 Victoria Street, Cobden
- Timboon and District Public Hall - 57 Bailey Street, Timboon
Can't see one that suits you? Visit the AEC website.
What is the referendum question?
The 2023 referendum ballot paper will ask the following question:
A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?
Voters will be asked to clearly write "yes" or "no" in a single box on the ballot paper.
The AEC has a sample ballot paper on its website where you can practise completing a vote.
When is the result announced?
Counting of ballot papers will begin at 6pm local time when voting centres close on October 14.
That night all votes cast that day will be counted as well as most of the early votes.
The timing of the result being declared depends on how close it is, with the AEC cautioning it may take days or weeks for additional pre-poll, overseas and postal votes to be received and counted.
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Jessica Howard
Get in touch: jessica.howard@warrnamboolstandard.com.au
Get in touch: jessica.howard@warrnamboolstandard.com.au
