Australians have been told to think twice before filling out postal vote request forms they receive in the mail.
Both major parties routinely send the request forms out during federal elections, generally with reply paid envelopes included.
United Australia Party candidate Tanya Wieden warned followers on Facebook not to fill out the applications as they could be used to “harvest” private information.
“They will harvest your private information and bombard you with electioneering rubbish in this and future elections,” Ms Wieden posted online.
The Australian Electoral Commision (AEC) said it had received “lots of questions” about parties or candidates sending out postal vote applications.
According to the AEC the practice is allowed, however voters are not required to send any of their personal information as the letters suggest they should.
AEC spokesperson Evan Ekin-Smyth told NCA Newswire if people were concerned they should request a postal vote application directly from the AEC.
“It’s legal but people on an individual level don’t have to complete them of course and our firm advice is if you’re concerned at all, come and apply directly to us,” he said.
“And in fact even if you’re not concerned, it’s quicker and easier to do it through us online on our website.”
He said the practice by the major parties of sending postal vote applications was nothing new.
“They have every single federal election and people get annoyed by it every single federal election,” he said.
“I’m sure that people’s memories just aren’t three years old because we have the same commentary every time.”
In terms of the major parties being able to collect personal information from the applications, even the AEC is unsure of how much is being used.
Mr Ekin-Smyth said there was nothing legally limiting the collection of personal information from a postal vote application.xjmtzyw
Reply paid envelopes included in the postal vote applications are generally to a party address.
“The requirement for them is to return it to us as soon as they possibly can,” Mr Ekin-Smyth said.
“What they do with it in the interim is anybody’s guess.
“The assumption being made by many is that they use it for the collection and then use of data. If anybody has concerns with that – don’t do it.”
