Referendum to change the Australian Constitution

Published on 17 July 2023

A referendum will be held in late 2023 to seek the approval of Australian voters to change the Australian Constitution

The draft question that will be put to voters is whether to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

While a date hasn’t been announced, the Federal Government has stated its intention to hold the referendum sometime between September and December 2023.

Exact timing is a matter for Government. The date will be formalised by the issuing of a writ by the Governor-General (the formal instruction to the AEC to conduct a poll).

A referendum must be held no earlier than two months and no later than six months after a Constitution alteration bill has passed Parliament.

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has developed a range of fact sheets on the referendum to help communities to understand the process:

Referendum factsheet.pdf(PDF, 482KB) | Referendum factsheet How To Vote.pdf(PDF, 160KB) | Referendum Stop and Consider factsheet.pdf(PDF, 92KB)

Other general information can be found at www.aec.gov.au/referendums/. Additional resources and information about the referendum process will be available closer to the voting period.

We encourage people to enrol or check their details online at www.aec.gov.au.

The AEC is also recruiting up to 100,000 temporary staff to deliver the referendum in metro, regional and remote parts of Australia. The AEC's role is to successfully deliver an impartial referendum with the highest levels of integrity. To work at the referendum people must be, and be seen to be, both politically neutral and issue neutral.

This short-term work is a great way for people to earn extra money while contributing to their local communities. We are committed to an inclusive and diverse temporary workforce that reflects and supports the community we serve. For more information and to register to work at the referendum visit www.aec.gov.au/electionjobs. 

Frequently Asked Questions about the referendum process

What is a referendum?

• The Australian Constitution is a set of rules by which Australia is run. It is like a ‘rule book’.
• There are rules about how the Constitution can be changed. The only way to change the Constitution is by holding a referendum.
• A referendum is a national vote – and every Australian over 18 must vote.

Enrolling to vote

Why enrol to vote

• To vote in the referendum, you need to be on the electoral roll.
• When you enrol to vote, your name and address are added to the electoral roll.
• You must enrol and vote if you’re an Australian aged 18 or over – it is compulsory.
• You don’t have to enrol separately for a referendum. If you’re enrolled for elections, you’re enrolled for referendums too. Just make sure your details are up to date.

How to enrol or update your details

• You can enrol online at aec.gov.au using a computer or smart phone, or you can use a paper form.
• You need one of the following as a form of identity:

• your driver's licence
• a Medicare card
• an Australian passport
• an Australian citizenship certificate
• someone who is already enrolled who knows who you are can confirm your identity.

• You should enrol to vote now so you don’t miss out.
• If you move address, or change your name, you will need to update your details with the AEC. You can update your details online, or on a paper form.

How to vote formally

• At a referendum, you will get a ballot paper with the proposed alteration to the Constitution on it, followed by a question asking if you approve the proposed alteration. On the referendum ballot paper you need to indicate your vote by clearly writing:

       YES in the box if you approve the proposed alteration,
       OR NO in the box if you do not approve the proposed alteration.

• Ballot papers that are not completed correctly are referred to as informal ballot papers.
• To make sure your vote can be counted in a referendum, you need to clearly write either ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ in the box next to the question.

How the vote is counted

• To become law, the proposed alteration to the Constitution must be approved by a ‘double majority’.
• That means, for the referendum to pass, more than half of the voters in Australia must vote ‘yes’and more than half the voters at least four states must also vote ‘yes’.

Stop and consider – misinformation and disinformation

• During a referendum there are a lot of things said and written about how you should vote. This may be on the radio, on social media, in a newspaper, or in talking with other people.
• Some of this information may be important for you to think about. But some of the information may be wrong – either accidently or on purpose.
• You should stop and think about the information you see, hear and read before you decide whether to believe it.
• You should think about whether the information is:

• Reliable: is the information from a reliable or recognised source?
• Current: is this the latest information?
• Safe: could the information be a scam?

Employment opportunities during the referendum

What jobs are available

• The AEC hires around 100,000 people to work on the referendum and it’s looking for people who can work in their local community.
• Jobs include working in polling places, counting votes, and helping with planning and logistics.
• Most jobs are on voting day. Some jobs start weeks before voting day or continue for a short time after voting day.
• All jobs are paid and you don’t need any experience – we provide training. 
• The AEC is also looking for people who speak languages other than English.       

How to register your interest

If you’re interested in work, you can submit an online registration of interest at aec.gov.au/electionjobs