Report on the conduct of the 2007 federal election and matters related thereto

This report recommends reinstating a number of longstanding provisions to protect the franchise for those who are entitled to exercise it. These include: • restoring the traditional seven day close of rolls period to enrol or update enrolment details; • restoring provisions allowing electors to notify changes to enrolment details in writing; • removing the need for provisional voters to prove their identity when voting; and • restoring provisions to save votes from being ruled informal where clear preferences are expressed, but numbers are repeated. The report includes a range of other recommendations aimed at improving the conduct of federal elections and modernising enrolment and voting processes so that they meet the expectations of the community both now and into the future whilst maintaining appropriate integrity measures. Key recommendations cover: • simplifying the proof of identity requirements for enrolment; • new provisions aimed at facilitating electronic updates to enrolment information and electronic receipt of postal vote applications; and • allowing for information collected by trusted agencies to be used to directly update the electoral roll where electors indicate their consent for this to occur