How Australia’s EMBs train their electoral officials and educate their youth

Against a background of deteriorating informational environments, falling trust in state institutions and growing electoral result disputation, electoral processes and those who administer them are increasingly being placed under the microscope. Ensuring that the integrity of elections withstand such scrutiny and that voters remain informed and engaged falls largely to election trainers and educators, and it is their vital work that is the focus of the first series of Peer-to-Peer, International IDEA’s new elections podcast.

Through interviews with electoral trainers and educators from around the world, the first series explores how different election commissions tackle the thorny issues affecting their field. How can thousands of temporary poll workers be prepared for election day operations in a short space of time? How can election training be delivered during a pandemic? How can voters be motivated to cast their ballot?

In the first 2022 episode of Peer-to-Peer podcast, hosts Erik Asplund and David Towriss examine how election education and training is conducted under Australia’s federal electoral management system. Their guides are Belinda Bennet, Director of the Australian Electoral Commission’s National Training and Education Unit, and Andrew Hawkey, Electoral Commissioner at the Tasmanian Electoral Commission.
From Belinda and Andrew we hear how Australia’s federal and state electoral management bodies work together to share innovations and best practice, the importance they place on training and developing their permanent staff and how they engage young voters of tomorrow.

• National Training and Education Unit - Australian Electoral Commission
• National Electoral Education Centre - Australian Electoral Commission
• Running Local Elections During the COVID-19 Crisis: Queensland, Australia