The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) welcomes the Parliament of Victoria’s Electoral Matters Committee report from its inquiry into voting centre accessibility.
‘Accessible voting services are a critical part of achieving our vision for all Victorians to actively participate in their democracy,’ Electoral Commissioner Sven Bluemmel said.
‘We have integrated several accessibility measures to improve the voting experience, and this remains a priority for us at every election.
‘We must work together to identify and eliminate the remaining barriers that prevent electors from voting. Some actions will require legislative change, and these will be matters for Parliament to consider.’
Our final service plan for the state election was published in August following more than 18-months of planning. At the 2026 state election on Saturday 28 November, Victorians can expect a range of voting options to suit their needs, including in-person voting on the day or during the early voting period between Wednesday 18 November and Friday 27 November (except Sunday 22 November).
Every election venue is audited for accessibility, with the aim of having at least one fully accessible voting centre in each district. Location details and accessibility information will be available on the VEC website from Wednesday 4 November.
Voters at voting centres can also access accessible voting screens, magnifying sheets and large, tactile pencils. Voters can also access voting information in 29 languages. VEC staff will also be ready to help voters who need help to complete their vote.
More than 400 mobile voting services will reach people in aged-care facilities, hospitals, homeless shelters and prisons. Following trials at recent state by-elections, the VEC is also expanding its low sensory voting option to all 88 districts for carers and people with low sensory needs on Tuesday 17 November. These venues include dimmed lighting and reduced noise.
Voters who are blind, have low vision or live with a motor impairment can also register for our telephone-assisted voting service. This service is a scalable voting option for those who need it, and we’ve recommended that it should be available to more voters than Victoria’s electoral laws currently allow. The VEC will continue to advocate for this change, including in our response to the Electoral Matters Committee’s report.
Postal voting is open to all voters with a simple application available from early November through the VEC website or at Australia Post outlets in Victoria.
The VEC’s accessibility approach has been developed over many years, with input from the community, including our Electoral Access Advisory Group, which provides us with independent advice, feedback and community perspectives on accessible and inclusive election participation.
The VEC will review the recommendations and prepare a response following the 2026 state election.
For more information about accessible voting services, visit vec.vic.gov.au or call 131 832.
