Axing of 67 Overseas in person Polling stations for 2022 Federal election

The Australian Electoral Commission(AEC) have axed 67 in person overseas polling booths for this Federal election leaving 32,193 voters without a polling station. The axing of the polling places where 52% of overseas votes were cast in 2019 has been subject of a formal complaint by ALP Abroad to the AEC about their failure in their core role established by parliament to “deliver the franchise: that is, an Australian citizen's right to vote” for overseas Australian’s.

The right of citizens to vote in person is sacred and any decision that impacts that fundamental right requires the highest degree of transparency. 

ALP Abroad have formally written to the AEC Commissioner Tom Rogers requesting,

  • the process by which the AEC determined which stations to close or remain open for each individual location,
  • the basis on which the determination was made for each location to close or remain open.
  • In providing the reason for the closure, please indicate who was involved in the decision and how the public was consulted. Each decision to close a polling station should refer to how this maximises electoral participation with reference to the Australian Electoral Commissions role to “deliver the franchise: that is, an Australian citizen's right to vote”

The AEC Commissioner has not answered these questions but AEC generally tried to blame the Covid pandemic.

Reading the list of stations to be axed, it is clear that there is no compelling public health case for example to.  

  • Close Washington, Los Angeles and Chicago while keeping open New York and San Francisco
  • Close Wellington while keeping open Auckland
  • Close Singapore, one of our largest overseas booths, where the Covid situation is no worse than Australia’s
  • Close all three Canadian polling stations where Covid is no worse than Australia.

The AEC axing of overseas polling stations has put bureaucratic convenience over the upholding the right of Australians to vote

Overseas voters  can write directly to the AEC at [email protected] and tweet your protest at them at @AusElectoralCom

Overseas voters whose polling stations has are strongly encouraged to apply for a postal vote.

Polling place to be closed by AEC

Votes cast in 2019 in person at station closed 2022

1.       Hong Kong

5,523

2.       Singapore

3,270

3.       Shanghai

1,728

4.       Vancouver

1,441

5.       Bangkok

1,254

6.       Tokyo

1,078

7.       Kuala Lumpur

864

8.       Washington

812

9.       Los Angeles

754

10.   Dublin

697

11.   The Hague

674

12.   Wellington

672

13.   Toronto

641

14.   Jakarta

637

15.   Rome

587

16.   Tel Aviv

509

17.   Dubai

505

18.   Vienna

478

19.   Copenhagen

455

20.   Lisbon

446

21.   Madrid

426

22.   Milan

410

23.   Seoul

409

24.   Stockholm

407

25.   Athens

382

26.   Dili

372

27.   Hanoi

360

28.   Suva

352

29.   Geneva

344

30.   Malta

325

31.   Chicago

314

32.   New Delhi

304

33.   Yangon

283

34.   Santiago

280

35.   Warsaw

237

36.   Brussels

224

37.   Honiara

220

38.   Belgrade

212

39.   Apia

188

40.   Honolulu

186

41.   Ottawa

182

42.   Kathmandu

180

43.   Vientiane

171

44.   Abu Dhabi

167

45.   Zagreb

166

46.   Doha

159

47.   Pretoria

153

48.   Nairobi

147

49.   Chennai

146

50.   Lima

141

51.   Istanbul

133

52.   Mumbai

129

53.   Beirut

126

54.   Ulaanbaatar

121

55.   Mexico City

119

56.   Amman

113

57.   Buenos Aires

100

58.   Moscow

97

59.   Bogota

95

60.   Nuku'alofa

68

61.   Kuwait

54

62.   Tarawa

42

63.   Harare

37

64.   Sao Paulo

36

65.   Pohnpei

21

66.   Brasilia

16

67.   Port of Spain

14

Total voters at closed polling stations

32,193