This is a video supplied to polling officials by the Australian Electoral Commission for the 1998 federal election.
The VHS video was produced for the 1996 federal election and updated for the 1998 election.
It’s somewhat twee and the acting is hammy but the 30-minute video takes the viewer through a full day at a polling booth, from opening up to counting the votes. It shows the preparations the AEC makes to ensure that accurate records are kept and mistakes minimised. It shows different types of voters arriving during the day and the procedure that is followed for each type. It shows the rules that apply to counting and recording the votes. It shows the security that surrounds the handling and storage of ballot papers.
Many of the procedures shown are mandated by the Commonwealth Electoral Act. Others are procedures established by the AEC to comply with the Act.
There are around 7,700 polling places around Australia. Up to 70,000 people work as temporary staff on election day. Training these people is an important priority for the AEC.
- Watch the video (30m)
