Why your vote matters and how to enrol

The power of your vote

Australia is a democracy, which means the people decide how the country is run.

Every Australian citizen aged 18 and over has the right to vote for a representative in the federal parliament.

The person you choose will make decisions on your behalf.

Not only do Australians have the right to vote—it is also compulsory by law. This means every adult citizen must:

Australia is divided into 151 electorates, and each voter is enrolled in the electorate where they live.

The Lyne electorate covers a large area, stretching from the Hunter River in the south to the Hastings River in the north. It includes:

Councils: Dungog Shire, Mid-Coast Council, and parts of Maitland City, Port Macquarie-Hastings, and Port Stephens.
Major towns & cities: Greater Taree, Forster-Tuncurry, and coastal communities from Camden Haven to Hawks Nest.
Rural areas: Maitland suburbs (Lorn, Largs, Bolwarra) and inland centres (Paterson, Dungog, Gloucester, Wauchope).

Australia’s elections are run by an independent national body, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). They:

This ensures elections are fair, transparent, and reliable.

Not sure if you’re enrolled? Check your status here: check.aec.gov.au

Just turned 18? Enrol to vote: aec.gov.au/enrol
Moved house since the last election? Update your details: aec.gov.au/enrol/update-my-details.htm