The Federal Election Has Been Called, So What Happens Now?

Wake up and smell the democracy sausage sizzle 🌭

Prime Minister Scott Morrison hard-launched the federal election on Sunday, with confirmation Aussies will be heading to the polls on Saturday, 21 May.

There’s already a lot of stuff happening in the media, and it’s about to get real overwhelming with dates, election promises, and debates.

We already gave you a step-by-step guide to voting and how it works, and we’ll keep you informed through our weekly April series articles.

But, to tie you over ‘til our next installment, here’s a quick guide on what happens next.

Enrolling to vote.

First things first! Let’s get you enrolled, bestie.

While the election itself is over a month away, there are only seven days from now (Monday night, 18 April) to enrol and update your details.

It is compulsory for all eligible Aussies (citizens over the age of 18) to enrol before that date. Fines do get dealt out if you fail to do so.

Luckily, it’s a quick online process – all you need to have ready is your drivers license, passport, OR another enrolled person to confirm your identity.

Fun fact – if you're 16 or 17, you can still enrol now, and then you’ll be all set to exercise your democratic rights in the next election.

You can head to the Australian Electoral Commission website now to enrol.

An election involves more than just sausages on election day. There's a number of steps - most urgently, the electoral roll closes at 8pm on Monday 18 April. Enrol or update your enrolment now at https://t.co/pv99YKD0X2 pic.twitter.com/x697XiOJNw

— AEC ✏️ (@AusElectoralCom) April 10, 2022

Understanding the parties, and who you might want to vote for.

When voting for the first time, or just generally getting the hang of it, deciding who to vote for can be extremely overwhelming.

What we can do, is recommend a really handy tool from the ABC called Vote Compass.

It’s a great way of getting an idea of how your views line up with the parties and candidates ahead of voting, and making sure you don't waste your vote.

Aside from this, it’s good to read and chat widely, and zone in on what’s important to you.

I can’t vote yet, but I’m still interested. What do I do?

Keep it up! Staying in the loop and being politically informed is important. We are the future, after all!

For those of you who are eligible – remember your vote (and your voice) counts.