Role

The AEC’s role is to deliver the franchise: an Australian citizen’s right to vote. To achieve this, the AEC:

• maintains enrolments and the electoral roll
• manages federal elections and referendums
• conducts ballots for industrial and commercial organisations
• conducts public awareness and education activities
• undertakes electoral research
• assists with overseas elections and referendums
• administers election funding, financial disclosure and party registration
• supports electoral redistributions.

Values

The AEC embraces the Australian Public Service ICARE values – Impartial, Committed to service, Accountable, Respectful and Ethical. The AEC applies these values by:

• conducting AEC business in a non-partisan manner with fairness and impartiality
• maintaining high standards of integrity and ethical behaviour
• respecting and upholding the law
• tolerating difference, being sensitive to special needs and respectful of one another
• being open, transparent and accountable
• respecting and listening to clients, stakeholders and each other.

The AEC’s principles

• We act to serve the Australian people and the federal parliament
• We strive for excellence
• We never knowingly mislead anyone.