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. The VEC implements 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, so that no-one votes twice, and to assist with the enforcement of compulsory voting laws.
Information about whether you voted and how you voted is not made public. Legislation requires the VEC to provide the following information, on request, to registered political parties and independent Members of Parliament:
- 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.
The VEC also conducts non-voter follow-up for some elections, and may collect personal details contained in "excuses". This information is used only for the purpose of enforcing compulsory voting in accordance with the Infringements Act 2006. This information is stored securely and disposed of in accordance with relevant legislation and disposal schedules.
For a more detailed explanation of VEC's collection, use and disclosure of voting information, see section 2.5 of our Privacy Policy and Framework (PDF 263kB, DOC 352kB).
