Volunteering on a polling booth this election

Thanks so much for signing up to volunteer on a polling booth this election! 

We know that at least 20% of people arrive at a polling booth unsure who they’ll vote for. Our analysis makes it crystal clear – having  positive, proactive Greens volunteers on polling booths can help lift our vote by 4%! 

Watch: important tips for volunteering on a booth  

Have a watch of the video below for all the most important tips and tricks for volunteering on a polling booth. 

Key tips and tricks for winning votes at the booth 

The most important thing when volunteering at a polling booth is to have friendly and positive interactions with voters, provide them with a Greens How-to-Vote card, and remind them to “Vote 1 Greens”. 

Here are some other things you should keep in mind: 

  • Show your colours: wear a Greens T-shirt (even over your jumper) or whatever campaign materials have been provided to you
  • Interact with every single voter you can: make sure that every voter enters the booth having been offered a Greens How-to-Vote card and the message to “Vote 1 Greens” 
  • Be polite and respectful: positively interact with all voters, other volunteers and the AEC 

Make sure you avoid:

  • Getting distracted: it can be easy to get sucked into an interesting political conversation with an ally (or debate with a volunteer from another party) but the risk is missing the chance to interact with an undecided voter 
  • Using inappropriate language or inflammatory behaviour: if someone behaves inappropriately towards you, contact your booth captain or pre-poll coordinator and they can engage the AEC 
  • Handing out anything apart from the How-to-Vote card: it’s illegal 
  • Enter the booth with your Greens merch on display: You must cover up your T-shirt, badges or stickers before entering the booth to vote 
  • Tampering with or removing the materials of another party: this is also illegal
  • Handing out How-To-Vote Cards past the designated zone set by the AEC: the AEC official at the booth will always designate a point, generally 6 metres from the entrance. You cannot campaign beyond this point