General News
9 September, 2026
What first-time voters need to know
First election? Don’t panic. Here’s a simple guide to having your say in the 2026 Victorian election.
In the upcoming State Election on Saturday, November 28, eligible voters will be able to cast their vote for the 61st Parliament of Victoria.
Victoria’s current serving Premier is Ben Carroll, of the Victorian Labor Party.
The State Government makes decisions about issues that affect Victorians, such as hospitals, crime prevention, education and training, transport, and road safety.
If it’s your first time voting - don't panic!
We’ve got you covered; here's everything you need to know.
Firstly, you have to be enrolled to vote.
To vote in the upcoming election, you must be enrolled by 8pm on Tuesday, November 3.
You must enrol if you are an Australian citizen, are 18 or older, and have lived in Victoria for longer than a month.
As part of the enrolment process, you will need to provide one of the following: an Australian driver’s licence number, an Australian passport number, Medicare card details, an Australian citizenship number, or someone who is enrolled can confirm your identity.
To enrol to vote, visit the Australian Electoral Commission website www.aec.gov.au/enrol.
State Election Day is Saturday, November 28, 2026, between 8am and 6pm.
There are a few different ways to vote in the State Election.
Postal vote: voters must apply for a postal vote. Applications open November 4 and close at 6pm on November 25.
Ballot packs will be mailed to voters after nominations are finalised. You will need to complete your ballot paper and post it before a specific date.
In-person voting: You can vote at any voting centre across Victoria on election day.
If you vote in person, you will be asked for your name, address, and whether you have voted in this election before.
Voting early: You can vote early between Wednesday, November 18, and Friday, November 27, from 9am to 6pm every day except Sunday, November 22.
The Parliament of Victoria is divided into the Legislative Assembly (lower house) and the Legislative Council (upper house).
In a State Election, you are voting for one person to represent your area in the lower house, and five people to represent your area in the upper house.
In the lower house, there are 88 MPs (Members of Parliament), one for each district in Victoria.
The party or coalition with the majority of seats in the lower house forms the Victorian Government.
In the upper house, there are 40 MPs, five from each of Victoria's eight regions.
Upper house MPs review legislation that lower house MPs have passed.