The Federal Government has tabled the Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Maintaining Address) Bill 2011 before Parliament, which aims to deliver a more accurate electoral roll.

 

The reform will allow the Electoral Commissioner to directly update an elector’s enrolled address following receipt and analysis of reliable and current data sources from outside the Electoral Commission.

Currently, the Electoral Commission receives advice from government agencies of changes of address details. The information is used to remove a person from the roll – but the law does not permit the commission to record the same elector at the new address.

 

The Bill will permit the commission to record the elector at the latest address – only after the Electoral Commissioner has notified an elector of the proposed new residential address to give the elector the opportunity to object to the change of address.

 

The Bill is consistent with legislation that has been operating in Victoria and New South Wales for a number of years and will stop the divergence and inconsistency that is occurring between state and Commonwealth electoral rolls.