Nearly 2 million Victorians have already voted, as the state heads to the polls today.
This year, the Victorian Electoral Commission urged Victorians to make an effort to vote early, and a record number of people took that advice.
Whether you're wondering where your electorate is or how voting works, we've got you covered with this guide.
How does the state election work?
The Parliament of Victoria is divided into two houses.
There's the Legislative Assembly (lower house) and the Legislative Council (upper house).
In the 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.
The people you elect are known as Members of Parliament (MPs).
There are 88 MPs in the lower house, one for each district (lower house seat) in Victoria. The party or coalition with majority support in the lower house forms the Victorian government.
The Andrews Labor government currently holds 55 seats, while the Liberal-National Coalition controls 27 seats.
The Greens hold three seats and the remaining three seats are held by independent MPs.
There are 40 MPs in the upper house, five MPs for each of the eight regions in Victoria.
Upper house MPs review legislation that has been passed by lower house MPs.
There is currently a much wider spread of minor parties in the upper house, with 10 parties sharing 13 seats, while Labor and the Coalition control 26 seats.
Are you enrolled to vote?
It is compulsory for Victorian residents over the age of 18 to vote in a state election.
In order to vote in the 2022 state election, residents must have been enrolled by 8pm on Tuesday, November 8.
Enrolment can be applied for, updated or checked on the VEC website.
British subjects who were on an Australian electoral roll between 26 October, 1983 and 26 January, 1984 must also enrol and vote.
Where are you enrolled?
The Electoral Boundaries Commission (EBC) underwent a review of Victoria's district and region boundaries known as a redivision in October 2021.
Districts and regions were shifted in a bid to maintain roughly the same number of enrolled voters in each, in a process that included community feedback.
The proposed changes to electoral boundaries in Victoria came into effect on November 1.
It means that around 20 per cent of enrolled Victorians now live in a different electoral district or region than they did during the 2018 election.
For example, two residents living in Altona and Altona Meadows would have both voted in the Altona district in 2018.
Following the redivision, the Altona resident would now be enrolled in the newly created Williamstown district, while the Altona Meadows resident would vote in the new Point Cook district.
The redivisions apply for the upper house as well.
For a resident living in Charlton in the state's north-west, the redivision will see their enrolment change from the Western Victoria district to the Northern Victoria district.
As long as you're enrolled, you do not need to do anything for this to take effect.
Maps of the new boundaries and an interactive tool can be found on the EBC website.
How can you vote?
Voting will take place today from 8am to 6pm at polling stations around the state.
Voting centre locations can be found on the VEC website.
Voters will be given two ballot papers, one for each house of parliament.
On the smaller, lower house ballot paper, you need to number every box in the order of your choice.
However on the larger upper house ballot paper, you can vote above the line or below the line.
If you vote above the line, you must only mark one box with a number '1' in order for your vote to be valid.
Your preferences will then be decided by the group voting ticket(s) registered by the group you've chosen.
This is different to federal elections, where more than one box can be numbered on the upper house (Senate) ballot paper.
If you vote below the line, you must number at least five boxes for your vote to be valid.
A ballot paper will be considered invalid or an 'informal vote' if you:
- put ticks, crosses, or any other symbol in the boxes
- do not number enough boxes
- miss or repeat numbers
- leave the ballot paper blank
More information can be found on the VEC website.
What if I'm not in Victoria on election day?
It is not compulsory to vote if you are not in Victoria during the election period (including election day), but residents must notify the VEC if they are overseas or away.
People who complete the form should keep evidence of their travel in case they receive an 'Apparent Failure to Vote' notice.
Applications for postal votes have closed. Completed ballot papers need to be in the mail before 6pm today.
People who haven't received their ballot pack before today should vote in person.
Some people are eligible to vote by phone.
Victorians who are blind, have low vision, have a motor impairment and can't vote without assistance or are unable to travel to a voting centre because of a bushfire, flood or other declared emergency situation may register to vote over the phone.
What if I have COVID-19?
Voters who are COVID-positive and who missed the postal vote application deadline will have some options to vote via a COVID-safe drive-through service.
A drive-through voting centre will be available at 149 Barries Road, Melton West between 8am and 6pm today.
Voters must stay in their car and will need to show a positive RAT or a text from the Department of Health confirming a positive test result to be eligible for the service.
The VEC says it's taking this step "in good conscience" after previously ruling telephone voting would not be available, given the removal of the emergency declaration and isolation requirements.
It says those with COVID who are unable to get to the drive-through centre should retain proof in case they receive an apparent failure to vote notice in early 2023.
Earlier this month, VEC commissioner Warwick Gately told ABC Radio Melbourne while he could not offer specific health advice to Victorians, there were strong COVID-safe measures being taken by staff at voting centres.
"So you can attend an early voting centre or an election-day voting centre at your decision, quite safely," he said, noting there were no restrictions on COVID-positive people in the community.
