Privacy and voting information
The principle of the secret ballot is fundamental to Victoria's democratic voting system.
For the vast majority of voters, the VEC does not have any information about voting preferences that can be linked to an individual. Ballot papers are anonymous, and voters put the ballots in the appropriate ballot boxes themselves.
Certain votes, such as postal and absent votes, are received and briefly held by the VEC inside envelopes displaying the voter's name and address. This is so that these people can be recorded as having voted. We implement strict security precautions to ensure that voting secrecy is maintained. Once a person is recorded as having voted, their ballot paper is removed from the envelope - under the supervision of election scrutineers - in a way that ensures their name is not visible.
The VEC records the fact that you have voted, as well as the means by which you voted. This is to ensure that only those entitled to vote receive a ballot paper and that no-one votes twice. We also keep the record because voting is compulsory. If you do not vote, we will write to you requesting that you either provide a reason for not voting or pay a $50 fine.
Information about whether you voted and how you voted is kept private. Legislation requires the VEC to provide limited information to registered political parties and to any independent Members of Parliament. We must provide the following information on request:
This information must only be used in connection with an election. Severe penalties apply for any misuse of this information.
For the vast majority of voters, the VEC does not have any information about voting preferences that can be linked to an individual. Ballot papers are anonymous, and voters put the ballots in the appropriate ballot boxes themselves.
Certain votes, such as postal and absent votes, are received and briefly held by the VEC inside envelopes displaying the voter's name and address. This is so that these people can be recorded as having voted. We implement strict security precautions to ensure that voting secrecy is maintained. Once a person is recorded as having voted, their ballot paper is removed from the envelope - under the supervision of election scrutineers - in a way that ensures their name is not visible.
The VEC records the fact that you have voted, as well as the means by which you voted. This is to ensure that only those entitled to vote receive a ballot paper and that no-one votes twice. We also keep the record because voting is compulsory. If you do not vote, we will write to you requesting that you either provide a reason for not voting or pay a $50 fine.
Information about whether you voted and how you voted is kept private. Legislation requires the VEC to provide limited information to registered political parties and to any independent Members of Parliament. We must provide the following information on request:
- the names and addresses of electors who voted at an election (other than silent electors and itinerant electors);
- whether the electors voted personally or by post (if applicable); and
- the location of the voting centre at which electors voted (if they voted at a voting centre for the electoral district for which they were enrolled).
This information must only be used in connection with an election. Severe penalties apply for any misuse of this information.