Posted on by astyrra_713s8o

Postal Plebiscite Masterpost

theauspolchronicles:

So the government has decided to go ahead with a postal plebiscite. What does this mean? What do you need to do? Let’s begin:

  • Enrol to vote if you haven’t. If you have already then sweet! You only need to register to vote once (so if you’ve voted in an election before you can relax).
  • 14% of people age 18-24 aren’t enrolled to vote according to recent data so remind your friends to enrol to vote just in case they haven’t!
  • Update your change of address. Is your address up to date? Then sweet! But if you’ve moved and haven’t told the AEC then YOU HAVE UNTIL THE 24th OF AUGUST TO DO SO! THAT’S NOT VERY FAR OFF!
  • Ballot papers will start arriving in the mail from September 12. It’ll be sent out through the ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) So check your mailboxes.
  • YOU WILL HAVE UNTIL NOVEMBER 7TH TO POST THEM BACK
  • It’s not compulsory which means the government is probably hoping you forget and don’t do it. Political apathy is a tool of the government to wield power unchecked. Don’t forget. Do it. Remind your friends to do it. Set a calendar reminder in your phone or something. Have your voice heard. If the result is a majority “no” vote then the Liberals will use this as political firepower for years to come to deny LGBT+ people rights. So it’s not the option we wanted but a boycott will be politically pointless and only destroy the “yes” vote. They’ve twisted our arm into having to partake in this farce but partake in it we must to get what we deserve
  • You can vote overseas as long as you’re registered as an overseas elector which can be done via the AEC website.
  • The result is expected November 15th but this isn’t a vote to make it legal, it’s a vote to prove to the government that Australia wants it to be legal, and thus a bill will be introduced (upon a “yes” majority) and therefore potentially we might have marriage equality just before the end of the year.

So go forth and make Australia a better place, everyone! Talk to people, make sure people are enrolled to vote, have up to date mailing addresses with the AEC, and make it clear how important it is to send a “YES!” vote off by the due date!