What you need to know: the 2025 Australian federal election

With the 2025 Australian federal election upon us, voters across the country are weighing up How To Vote cards, party platforms and the issues that matter most to them. Whether you’re voting early, mailing your ballot or heading to the polls on election day, it’s worth taking a closer look at how federal elections work – and why your vote matters.  

To help us demystify the democratic process, we spoke with Deakin University’s Dr Zim Nwokora. Whether it’s your first time voting or your tenth, here’s what you need to know about Australia’s 2025 federal election. 

The Australian Federal Election 2025: when is it?  

On Friday 28 March,, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese held a press conference to call an election for Saturday 3 May. ‘Because of the strength and resilience that our people have shown, Australia is turning the corner,’ he told the media at the time. ‘Now on 3 May, you choose the way forward.’ 

But while we know when the 2025 Australian election will be, that doesn’t mean registered voters have to cast their ballot on that day. There are other options to vote, including by post or at early voting centres. 

When will the Australian election be called? 

The Australian election has been called for 3 May 2025 but the lead up involved plenty of speculation. The reason, says Nwokora, is that Australia’s election dates aren’t set in stone – they must be set by the prime minister. 

‘At the federal level, elections must be called after a certain period of time, which is a three-year maximum term of parliament,’ Nwokora says. ‘The prime minister basically has the right to decide when the election can be called. Strictly speaking, that’s a right that’s reserved for the governor general, but the prime minister asks the governor general to issue the writs for election.’ 

Who will win the 2025 Australian Federal Election? 

As the election approaches, pollsters like YouGov, Roy Morgan and Newspoll all try to gauge public sentiment, hoping to predict who will win the 2025 Australian election.  

But while polls can offer a snapshot of the national mood, they’re not always reliable predictors, and opinion polls can sometimes end up predicting a result that never comes to pass. For example, polls for the recent US election suggested a close outcome, which was way off the mark. However, there are some things about the federal election we know for sure. 

How is the Australian Prime Minister elected? 

In Australia, the prime minister is the leader of the party with the support of the most members of the House of Representatives – and the party itself votes on who its leader will be.  

In a sense, the prime minister is elected by the people voting for a political party – but it’s not always about winning the most votes in the house of representatives.  

‘Winning is actually a little bit more relative than people would ordinarily think,’ says Nwokora. ‘So the obvious concept of winning is gaining 50% plus one of seats and that guarantees you a parliamentary majority in the lower house.’ 

But what happens if no party wins an outright majority? That’s when things can get trickier. ‘In that scenario, the determination of who becomes prime minister becomes then a question of coalition dynamics,’ says Nwokora. ‘This happens often in countries that generate coalition governments.’ 

How are Australian senators elected? 

Australia’s federal government has two houses of parliament: the lower house, known as the House of Representatives, and the upper house, known as the Senate. The lower house determines who forms government, while the upper house reviews and shapes legislation.  

How Australian senators are elected is similar to how members of parliament are elected. Voting is preferential, which means voters number boxes on their ballots in order of most to least favoured candidates.  

Voting in the Australian Federal Election 2025 

Regardless of what happens in campaigns and debates, at the end of the day, the 2025 Australian federal election all comes down to the vote. Here’s what you need to know about voting this year. 

When does voting close for the 2025 Australian Federal Election? 

While the official polling day for the  2025 Australian federal election is 3 May, early voting starts in the weeks leading up to that date. This means eligible Australians can cast votes well before the deadline. For those heading to polling centers on 3 May, Australian voting closes at 6pm – so make sure you’ve cast your vote by then. 

Why is voting compulsory in Australia? 

Australia is one of just 22 nations worldwide where voting is compulsory for eligible citizens. That means that if you’re eligible, you must vote or you’ll face a fine. According to Nwokora, one reason why voting is compulsory in Australia is it helps ensure that all voices have a say in the political system – especially those who have historically been left out.  

‘When we think of marginalisation in politics, it’s typically not evenly distributed,’ Nwokora says. ‘It’s the poor, the minorities, the homeless who tend to not vote in elections. So in systems of voluntary voting, these sorts of people and often their interests are neglected by the political system.’ 

How much is the fine for not voting in Australia? 

If you’re enrolled to vote but you don’t cast a ballot, you’ll likely receive a fine from the Australian Electoral Commission. And how much is the fine for not voting in the Australian federal election? The penalty is $20. While it’s not a lot, it’s still cheaper – and more impactful – for Australians to vote in the 2025 federal election. 

Do I have to vote in the Australian election if I am overseas? 

If you’re enrolled and eligible, you have to vote in the 2025 Australian federal election – even if you’re overseas. Fortunately, the Australian government gives overseas Australian citizens a few options for voting, including postal votes, early voting (in Australia) and overseas voting centres (usually at embassies and consulates). 

Who is exempt from voting in Australia? 

In Australia, the general rule is that if you’re over 18 and a citizen, you are required to enrol and cast a vote – but there are some exceptions.  

According to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, people exempt from voting in Australia include: 

• People serving prison sentences of three years or longer 

• People with cognitive impairments that prevent them from understanding the ‘nature and significance’ of voting 

• People who have been convicted of treason (and not pardoned) 

Can I vote on behalf of someone else in Australia? 

No, you can’t. Regardless of your relationship to someone, including being their carer or having power of attorney, there is no legal way of voting on behalf of someone else in Australia. However, you can help someone to complete or submit a vote, as long as the choices marked on the ballot are their own. 

To safeguard this process, there are some restrictions. 

Are informal votes counted in Australia? 

‘An informal vote is a vote that doesn’t follow the rules,’ says Nwokora. ‘The rules typically require you to number candidates and to exhaust the numbers. If you don’t follow the rules, then your vote can be – and I think it’s important to stress that it can be – treated as informal.’ 

Strictly speaking, informal votes in Australia won’t be counted. However, electoral officials do have scope to count some (usually accidental) informal votes as legitimate, and the rules around this are called ‘savings provisions’. Take senate voting, for example.  

‘You number below the line and suppose you didn’t fill in the last box,’ he says. ‘Technically speaking, you’ve broken the rule, but it’s unlikely that the Electoral Commission would dispense with that. So they’ve saved the vote and they do that on the assumption that people are making mistakes.’ 

How to register to vote in the 2025 Australian Federal Election 

You can no longer register to vote in the 2025 Australian federal election because enrollment closed on 7 April. For those who have already enroled, you’ll known it’s not a difficult process; all you have to do is visit the AEC website and provide one form of ID. Speaking of ID… 

Do I need ID to vote in Australia?  

‘You don’t need an ID to vote in Australia  – and it has been contentious,’ says Nwokora. While former prime minister Scott Morrison did attempt to pass a voter ID bill, the proposal faced significant pushback and didn’t pass. 

Why the controversy? One big reason is that, in a country like Australia that values a high voter turnout (and has a system of compulsory voting), requiring ID could unintentionally disenfranchise vulnerable groups.  

‘The people who don’t carry ID would be excluded, and that’s typically the homeless, the poor and indigenous communities in some really rural areas,’ says Nwokora. ‘You’d likely find a drop in participation in those sorts of communities.’ 

The Australian Federal Election 2025: Key takeaways  

As we’ve seen on the campaign trail and in the debates so far, every party contesting the 2025 Australian federal election is working hard for your vote. For Nwokora, the election is set to turn on a few key issues.  

‘Cost of living and whose fault is inflation,’ he says. ‘Another prime issue is jobs and is the economy doing well or not? The size of the federal government, I think, is another big question.’ 

With voting underway, it’s a crucial time to think critically, check your enrolment and make your voice count.