In Australia, voting entails more than just ticking a box.
We've got a preferential system, meaning you'll need to choose who you want to represent you most, least and everything in between.
It might sound complicated, but it's actually really straightforward.
Here's how you do it.
First, find your polling place
You can find your closest polling booth or register to vote via post at aec.gov.au
You'll be given two ballot papers: a small green one is for the lower house, called the House of Representatives, and the big white one is for the upper house, called the Senate.
The small one is what you'll use to elect a member for your local area and the big one is where you'll elect the senators you want to represent your state.
You have to fill them out correctly, otherwise they'll be ruled invalid and will not be counted.
Second, fill out your lower house ballot
Here's where the preferential voting begins!
Your local area is included in an electorate, one MP represents one electorate and there are 150 of these — also called seats — in the House of Reps.
To select who you want to represent your seat, you need to number every box in order of the candidate you prefer the most, to the one you like the least.
You can't use a tick, a cross or write an answer, you must number every box in order of your preference for your vote to be counted.
That's because if the candidate who polls the most doesn't hit 50 per cent on their own votes, the lowest polled candidate's preferences will be distributed, then the next lowest, and so on, until either someone hits 50 per cent or all preferences are allocated and there is a winner.
One of the benefits of preferential voting is that you can't "waste" your vote, as long as you number the boxes in order of who you like the most to who you like the least you won't run the risk of your vote going to someone you don't want it to.
Third, fill out your upper house ballot
You've got a couple of options here: voting above or below the line.
Voting above the line is quicker, to do this you need to number at least six boxes in order of which party you most want your vote to go to.
You can number all the boxes if you like, but you must number at least six — like this:
If you want to have even more control over which specific candidates your vote will flow to, use the below-the-line method.
If you choose this option, you must number at least 12 boxes in order of your preference.
Again, you can number all of them if you like but you must do at least 12.
Just like with your lower house ballot, if you obscure your numbers with drawings you run the risk of it not being counted.
Once you've filled out both your pieces of paper, just take them over to the ballot boxes and put them in!
Fourth, get a snag or cupcake
Go on, they look tasty.
And remember to follow along for live election results here on ABC News, socials or television.
Editor's note 29/03/2025: This article initially included an inaccurate description of how preferences flow to candidates. It has been updated to clarify the process for preference allocation
