Missing: 1.4 million potential voters

More than a million Australians have chosen not to enrol to vote in the upcoming
federal election.
The use of electoral roll information by third parties is believed to have
contributed to the situation.
The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) made the finding in its report into the
conduct of the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
ANAO identified the state of the electoral roll as the "most significant long-term
issue facing the AEC".
At the 2007 election, out of an estimated 14.8 million eligible voters, 13.6 million
were enrolled to vote.
"On polling day the enrolment rate was well below the target of 95 per cent of the
estimated eligible population," the report said.
The enrolment rate has deteriorated since the Rudd government won office.
"By December 2009 it was estimated that just under 1.4 million eligible electors
were not enrolled to vote."
The use of electoral roll information by third parties is likely to have contributed
to the decline, prompting the ANAO to recommend the AEC examine privacy arrangements
for roll information.
Electoral rolls include information such as a voter's date of birth, occupation and
their previous address.
But a person's occupation and their previous address are not required as
qualifications for enrolment.
With the roll available at any AEC office, there are concerns access to a person's
privacy by any third party is discouraging people from enrolling.
The ANAO has recommended the AEC assess "the extent to which the broad use of
electoral roll information by non-government entities may be impacting on the
willingness of Australians to enrol to vote".
It also wants the AEC to undertake research into the key demographic characteristics
of those who have not enrolled, and their reasons, in an effort to boost voter
numbers.
Of nine recommendations contained in the report, four make suggestions for improving
the accuracy and completeness of the electoral roll.
Special Minister of State Joe Ludwig said boosting voter numbers had been made more
difficult since the coalition changed the rules so that rolls close on the day
election writs are issued, usually within a couple of days of an election being
called.
"This is yet more evidence that the early close of rolls and our archaic enrolment
provisions are not serving democracy well, and instead are actively serving to
reduce voter participation," he said.
The Rudd government wants to restore the cut-off period to seven days after writs
are issued.
"Nevertheless, the opposition has voted against these reforms in the House of
Representatives, and has announced it will attempt to block them in the Senate,"
Senator Ludwig said.
The AEC supports all the recommendations contained in the report.



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