Australians will head to the polls tomorrow to decide which party is most fit to lead the country.
If you haven't visited a polling booth yet, here's everything you need to know in preparation for casting your vote.
Tap on a link below to be taken straight to that section:
When is election day?
The 2025 federal election will take place tomorrow — Saturday, May 3.
What time do polls open?
Polling places open at 8am, local time.
What time do polls close?
Polling places close at 6pm, local time.
When does early voting end?
Early voting ends today, May 2.
The exact time an early voting centre will close depends on the particular voting location.
Not sure who to vote for?
Tax cuts, cheaper fuel and home-buying help schemes are among the policies on offer at this year's election.
But who you vote for is up to you.
Here are some policy guides and explainers written by the ABC's political reporters throughout the election campaign to help you decide:
Is there a quiz to help me work out who to vote for?
The ABC's Vote Compass tool might be able to help with that.
It'll ask you a bunch of questions about topical policies.
Then, using your answers, it'll show you how closely your views align with the major parties running candidates in your electorate — which may help you decide who to vote for.
But remember: Who you vote for is entirely your decision.
You can see it here:
What electorate am I in?
You can find your electorate by entering your address into the AEC's 'Find my electorate' tool.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, enter your suburb, locality or postcode and hit the purple "find" button.
Where are the voting centres near me?
The best way is to check out the AEC's website.
You'll be able to find a voting location based on your locality, suburb or postcode here.
If you're planning on voting early (today's your last chance), make sure you select the "before election day" button.
If you're heading to the polls on election day, Saturday, then make sure to select "on election day".
Chances are that you'll be able to spot your voting centre pretty easily as you get close to it, as there'll be election signs and party volunteers hanging around the entrance.
What to do in the polling booth
You'll be handed two ballot papers at the polling station.
The small green one is for the lower house, called the House of Representatives, and the big white one is for the upper house, called the Senate.
The small one is what you'll use to elect a member for your local area and the big one is where you'll elect the senators you want to represent your state.
You have to fill them out correctly, otherwise they'll be invalid and will not be counted.
How to fill out your House of Reps ballot
Your local area is included in an electorate, one MP represents one electorate and there are 150 of these — also called seats — in the House of Representatives.
Whoever gets at least 76 seats in the lower house can form a majority government, if no-one gets that amount then a minority government can be formed by major parties joining with minor parties or independents.
To select who you want to represent your seat, you need to number every box in order of the candidate you prefer the most, to the one you like the least.
You can't use a tick, a cross or write an answer. You must number every box in order of your preference for your vote to be counted.
If you draw on your ballot and obscure the numbers, there is a risk that it may be ruled ineligible.
How to fill out your Senate ballot
States get 12 senators, territories get two. Territory senators have to contest every election but state senators get six-year terms so only half contest each time.
There are two options for filling out this bigger ballot: voting above or voting below the line.
Voting above the line is quicker. To do this, you need to number at least six boxes in order of who you most want your vote to go to.
You can number all the boxes if you like, but you must number at least six.
If you want to have even more control over which specific people your vote will flow to, use the below-the-line method.
If you choose this option, you must number at least 12 boxes in order of your preference.
Again, you can number all of them if you like, but you must do at least 12.
Just like with your lower house ballot, if you obscure your numbers with drawings, you run the risk of it not being counted.
Once you've filled out both your pieces of paper, just take them over to the ballot boxes and put them in!
I've just been handed a 'how-to-vote' card. Do I have to use it?
No.
How-to-vote cards are just guides from parties, independents or interest groups on how they would like you to vote.
You do not have to follow someone's how-to-vote card to give them your vote. You just need to preference them first if they're your first choice to represent you.
If there's someone you like more, then you would preference them first and then list your second and third choices and so on until you've filled out your vote.
Choosing your own preferences is the best way to make sure your vote is in line with your values and what you want for your community.
How many people have already voted?
More than 5.6 million.
As of Thursday evening, 5,676,863 people had voted at early voting centres, according to AEC pre-polling figures.
That's more than 31 per cent of Australia's 18 million enrolled voters.
By this same time during the federal election campaign in 2022, more than 4.6 million Australians had voted.
So early voting is up by 122 per cent since last time.
Plus, there have also been more than 100,000 votes cast with mobile voting teams and 2.6 million postal vote applications.
Can I vote online?
No.
I have access needs. What should I do?
If you want to vote in person, the AEC has a list of accessible polling places available here.
Translation and braille services are available if you need them. You can find out more about them here.
Postal voting was available this election, but applications for them closed at 6pm, local time, on Wednesday, April 30.
What if I am overseas?
Unlike people here in Australia during voting, if you're overseas you won't be fined for not voting.
But don't waste your vote! It could make a big difference in marginal seats.
If you're not going to be in the country or you'll be interstate on election day, the AEC does operate polling booths in some countries listed here.
If you got a postal vote it has to be returned by May 16.
When are postal votes due?
If you have applied for a postal vote and received your postal vote pack in the mail, then you must have completed your ballot paper, had it witnessed and placed it in the return envelope before the close of polling on election day.
You then have 13 days to return the completed vote to the AEC. The AEC must receive it no later than 5pm on May 16, 2025.
What issue matters to you this federal election? What questions do you have?Having trouble seeing this form? Try this link.
