Assistance and interpreter options at polling places

The short answer

Assistance and interpreter options at polling places

Voters who need assistance at a polling place can ask election staff for help with completing their ballot papers, understanding the voting process, or accessing language support. A voter may bring a friend, family member, or other person to assist them, or may request assistance from a polling official. The person providing assistance must follow the voter's instructions and must not influence how the voter marks their ballot paper. The Australian Electoral Commission provides translated information in dozens of languages and can arrange telephone interpreter services through the Translating and Interpreting Service. Voters who are blind or have low vision can use the AEC's telephone voting service or bring someone to help. Polling places are also equipped with wheelchair-accessible voting screens, magnifying sheets, and large-print how-to-vote guides to support voters with disability.

This guide explains the federal position first. State, territory and local elections can use different rules, dates and ballot systems, so the commission named on your election material is the final operational source.

The useful question is not only “what is the rule?” but also “who administers it, which document controls it, and when might it change?” That distinction prevents an accurate general explanation from becoming wrong advice in a particular election, chamber or policy setting.

Evidence review

Who can assist a voter at a polling place

The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 expressly permits a voter who needs assistance to have another person help them mark their ballot paper. This assistance can be provided by a polling official, a friend, a family member, or any other person the voter chooses. The critical legal requirement is that the person providing assistance must mark the ballot paper exactly as the voter directs and must not attempt to influence how the voter casts their vote. If a polling official is assisting, they are bound by the same obligation of impartiality. The assistant's role is purely mechanical — they are there to execute the voter's choices, not to make or suggest those choices. This safeguard protects the integrity of the secret ballot while ensuring that voters who cannot independently mark a paper, whether due to disability, literacy, language, or other reasons, are not disenfranchised.

Evidence review

Language and interpreter services

The Australian Electoral Commission provides extensive language support for voters from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Translated voting information is available on the AEC website in over 30 languages, covering instructions on how to enrol, how to vote, and what to expect at a polling place. Voters can call the AEC and request a telephone interpreter through the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National), which provides interpreters in more than 150 languages. At polling places, election staff may be able to assist in identifying language resources or directing voters to the appropriate support. The AEC also produces multilingual social media content and community information sessions in partnership with multicultural organisations. For voters who speak Indigenous languages, the AEC provides Indigenous language videos and works with Indigenous liaison officers in remote communities to explain the voting process in language.

Evidence review

Voting with disability

All AEC polling places are selected to be wheelchair accessible, with accessible parking and step-free entry points wherever possible. Inside the polling place, voters with disability can use a range of tools and services. Magnifying sheets are available to assist voters with low vision to read ballot papers. Large-print versions of the how-to-vote instructions are provided at every polling booth. Voting screens are set at a height that accommodates wheelchair users. For voters who are blind or have low vision, the AEC offers a telephone voting service that allows them to cast their vote by phone with the assistance of a trained operator. This service is available at early voting centres and on election day, and registration can be completed in advance. Voters who use Auslan can access Auslan interpreting services about federal elections through the AEC website and social media channels.

Evidence review

Polling official assistance and voter rights

Polling officials are trained to assist voters courteously and impartially. If a voter is unsure how to complete their ballot paper, they can ask an official to explain the process. The official can describe how preferential voting works, explain that voters must number every box on the green House of Representatives ballot and at least six boxes above the line or twelve boxes below the line on the white Senate ballot, and clarify any confusion about ballot paper format. However, officials cannot advise a voter on which candidate or party to choose. If a voter makes a mistake on their ballot paper, they can return it to a polling official and request a replacement. The spoiled ballot paper is securely discarded and the voter receives a fresh one. This right to a replacement ballot is an important protection that should not be overlooked.

Evidence review

Other voting options for people needing assistance

For voters who cannot or prefer not to attend a polling place, the AEC offers several alternative voting methods that may reduce the need for in-person assistance. Postal voting allows a voter to complete their ballot paper at home, where they can take their time and use their own familiar assistive tools. The AEC's mobile polling teams visit hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, and remote communities to bring voting services to people who cannot travel to a polling place. Early voting centres are typically less crowded than election day polling places and may provide a calmer environment for voters who find busy spaces challenging. The AEC also provides an easy-read guide to voting, which uses simple language and pictures to explain the voting process for people with intellectual disability or low literacy. Voters can request this guide from the AEC website or by calling the AEC.

Evidence review

Privacy, secrecy and assisted voting

The secrecy of the ballot is a fundamental principle of Australian elections, and this principle continues to apply when a voter receives assistance. Anyone who assists a voter is legally required to maintain the confidence of how that person voted. It is an offence under the Commonwealth Electoral Act to disclose information about how another person voted without their consent, and polling officials and assistants are subject to this obligation. The Act also makes it an offence to interfere with a voter's right to vote freely. This means that no one can pressure, intimidate, or attempt to coerce a voter into marking their ballot paper in a particular way. Voters who experience any attempt to influence their vote while receiving assistance should report it immediately to the polling place manager or contact the AEC.

Common questions

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