If you’re enrolling to vote for the first time, or you need to update your enrolment details, like your name or address, there are different ways you can do this.

You can go to the VEC website at vec.vic.gov.au and follow the instructions to enrol or update your details online.

If you would prefer to enrol or update your details using a paper form, you can do this too. You can download an enrolment form from the VEC website or call 131 832 to request to have one sent to you.

You should remember to update your enrolment details if your name or postal address changes. Remember, when you move house, you need to have lived in your home for 30 days before updating your enrolment and you must then update your details within 21 days.

If it’s your first time enrolling – because you recently turned 18, or maybe because you recently became an Australian citizen – congratulations! Voting in elections ensures a healthy democracy and being enrolled means you’ll be ready to have your say at election time.

If you've never voted before in a state election and aren't sure what to expect, this video will walk you through the process, from arriving at a voting centre to casting your vote.

Each voting centre is set up a little differently, but the voting process is the same everywhere. Our staff use the same steps at every centre. When you arrive, you'll walk past campaigners offering how-to-vote cards. Inside, you'll meet one of our election officials. We all wear maroon or white vests, so we're easy to find. If there's a queue, an official will stand at the front and direct you to a table. You'll be asked 3 questions: Your full name, your address, and whether you've voted before in this election.

These are the standard questions we must ask to ensure people do not vote more than once.

Once we confirm your details and your electorate, we mark your name off the roll. You'll receive your ballot papers and a pencil. You can bring your own pencil or pen if you prefer.

You'll receive 2 ballot papers, a small one for the Legislative Assembly, and a large one for the Legislative Council.

You'll then be directed to a voting compartment, where you can fill out your ballot papers in private. If you make a mistake, you can cross it out and clearly write the correct number next to it. If you're worried your vote might not be clear, ask us for a new ballot paper.

Help is available at any time. Give us a wave and an election official will assist you. You can also bring someone you trust, like a friend, family member or carer, to help you complete your ballot papers as you direct.

All voting centres have accessibility features. Every voting centre has at least one accessible voting screen or tabletop, magnifying sheet, and maxi pencils. Ahead of election day, you can look up a voting centre's accessibility rating and features online.

Once you've filled out both ballot papers, take them to a ballot boxes. There's one box for the lower house and another for the upper house. If you're confused, an election official will help you find the right box.

We look forward to seeing you at a voting centre this election. If you can't get to a voting centre, there are other voting options available.

For more information, visit vec.vic.gov.au

[PHONE RINGS]

SONIA: Good morning this is the Victorian Electoral Commission. My name is Sonia. How may I help you.

MOHAMMED: Hi, my name is Mohammed. I am a student and I have homework about the Australian government and elections my teacher told me to ring you for information. Can I ask you some questions?

SONIA: Hi Mohammed, yes I can give you the information you need. What would you like to know?

MOHAMMED: Why does the teacher say that voting is important in Australia?

SONIA: Because Australia is a democracy. We vote for people who make laws and decide on services for us. That is why voting is very important.

MOHAMMED: How many levels of government are there in Australia?

SONIA: In Australia there are 3 levels of government: federal, state, and local.

This is Australia's Parliament House. It has 2 houses: House of Representatives or Lower House, and Senate or Upper House. The federal government is in Canberra. It makes decisions for all of Australia, for example: immigration, tax, Centrelink, Medicare and defence. The leader of the Federal Government is the Prime Minister.

MOHAMMED: What about the State Government?

SONIA: This is Parliament House Victoria. It also has 2 houses: Legislative Assembly or Lower House, and Legislative Council or Upper House. The Victorian Government is in Melbourne. It makes decisions for the state of Victoria, for example schools, hospitals, public transport, housing and police. The leader of the State Government is the Premier.

MOHAMMED: And local government?

SONIA: Local government or local council. You vote in the council area in which you live. Local councils make decisions about local issues. Councils look after rubbish collection, parks, community centres, childcare, parking, libraries, swimming pools, youth centres, cultural festivals and other services. The leader of your local council is the mayor.

[SCREEN:] On the next video: learn more about the VEC, how to enrol and how to vote.

The Democracy Ambassador program is about social inclusion. People having a say at the election.

My job is to educate the community about how to vote correctly.

As a democracy ambassador I also work with disability groups, homeless groups and Aboriginal groups as well.

Before the election I want all the community leaders to be more active in the community and help them learn how to vote so the community voices can be heard.

In the information session I teach community about how to enrol, the three levels of government and how to vote correctly.

After the session I realised my community needs more people like me to come and speak to them.

You should book an information session with a Democracy Ambassador because it will help you to learn in a better way in your own language.

Democracy means to me: freedom.

0:06 - Tell us about your first job.

0:08 - Wait, do I go?

0:09 - A bit of a weird one

0:10 My most recent job, I was a comedy writer

0:13 for a Mercedes-branded video game.

0:16 - My third job which I still have now is at Salsas.

0:19 - I was coaching soccer, so under-14 girls.

0:22 - The thrill of when I give the people their burrito,>

0:25 they just smile.

0:27 I love seeing the smile on people's faces

0:28 when they receive the food.

0:30 - Yeah, there's not much that makes you happier than-

0:33 - A nice burrito, yeah.

0:37 - Why did you want to work for the electoral commission?

0:40 - I wouldn't say that I 100% wanted to work for it,

0:42 but I went to an early voting centre which you worked at,

0:47 'cause you worked at an early voting centre.

0:49 And then this lady was handing out little sheets asking

0:51 if people wanted to work, and it said no experience required

0:54 and you'll work with young people.

0:56 So I'm just, oh yeah, why not?

0:58 - I always wanted to have a career when I was older

1:01 in like the legal, political field, so I don't know,

1:04 I was talking to a lot of people and they said kids

1:06 that have the Victorian Electoral Commission

1:09 on their resume, it shows that even from an young age

1:12 they were interested and I think

1:13 that's probably the first reason I sort of

1:15 said I'll do this.

1:16 - I remember the morning, no, the night

1:20 before I was going to start when I was 18, the first time

1:24 I was so nervous 'cause I didn't really have a shirt

1:26 that I felt was office-y enough.

1:28 You know I never worked in an office, I didn't know,

1:31 I'd only seen Ricky Gervais.

1:33 I didn't know what to expect and then I rocked up

1:37 and everyone's just, you know,

1:38 and I went oh, okay, this is a lot more relaxed,

1:41 and yeah, a much more relaxing environment than I expected.

1:46 - [Beth] So my role at the Electoral Commission was working

1:48 in the early voting centres.

1:49 We would issue ballot papers, direct them where to vote,

1:55 direct them where the ballot box was, help them

1:58 with any sort of more complicated issues such as

2:00 if their name wasn't coming up on the electoral roll

2:03 or if they moved address, we basically covered everything

2:06 bar counting the votes ourselves.

2:08 - So I had a new role and that was taking surveys

2:13 as people were exiting the area.

2:16 - Like their experience at the voting,

2:18 like if they were happy with the service or the timing,

2:21 everything about the voting really, yeah.

2:23 - It wasn't hard to understand what to do.

2:24 I think you're a bit intimidated at the start

2:27 'cause it's like, for me personally, it felt like

2:29 my first real job, if that makes sense.

2:32 - For this, it's just good for people

2:34 that don't have any experience for this,

2:35 just you can hop straight into it.

2:38 It's like on the job training so you get paid

2:40 to do the training and it's like all in the one day,

2:42 it's just like really easy and it's a really big part

2:45 especially to do with the election,

2:47 like the election is really important.

2:48 - There's something really gratifying about, yeah,

2:51 especially when I was 18, you come into a work environment

2:54 where the majority of people at the time were probably

2:57 twice my age or older and yet I was treated as a peer

3:02 and I was given a level of respect and responsibility

3:07 that I was hoping for.

3:09 - Someone came up to me and was like here's a job you can do

3:11 that you don't need 10 years experience to do,

3:14 but you'll be treated like an equal as like, you know,

3:17 just a member of society who's helping, you know,

3:20 - [Rikki] Like the community. - [Beth] the community,

3:21 helping the community and getting paid for it.

3:23 - The VEC has managed to foster a culture in which everyone

3:28 really wants to help each other out,

3:30 That there are people in their sixties who don't really

3:32 know how to use computers and hey, I was born in the '90s,

3:37 I can manage that for them,

3:40 but I felt like I imparted some, like

3:44 Gen Y minutia onto these baby boomers, you know?

3:49 - Last one.

3:51 Why is this a good role for young people?

3:55 (laughter)

3:56 - I believe in having a really diverse resume.

3:58 - Yeah.

3:59 - I think it's good to have different experiences

4:02 in different fields. - Yeah, a variety.

4:04 - The money.

4:06 - The money, it's just-- - The fat stacks, you know.

4:09 - It's not volunteer work.

4:10 - The money's really good.

4:12 - The money's quite good. - Yeah,

4:13 I was happy with that.

4:14 - It's the most flexible job

4:16 that I've ever had the experience to do.

4:21 - 'Cause it's more casual 'cause obviously there's not

4:23 an election everyday.

4:25 It's like you can still have other jobs as well.

4:27 It's not like that's your one job, that's what your doing,

4:29 you can still, you can have the flexibility with it,

4:32 it's not just.

4:33 - And like when I first did it, I heard through a friend

4:36 and they put my name up for it, but I didn't know

4:38 how to get into it initially either,

4:39 but they want you on the system.

4:41 - It was easy to apply. - They can contact you again,

4:43 and be like hey do you want to work?

4:46 - And that's a wrap.

4:47 (clapping)

4:53 Thank you guys.