Democracy ambassadors help community voices ‘Be Heard’

Victorian community groups are being urged to book in a free voter education session offered through the Victorian Electoral Commission’s (VEC's) Democracy Ambassador program.

The VEC’s democracy ambassador program supports voters who are under-represented at the ballot box to learn how to make their vote count at the upcoming local council elections.

Democracy ambassadors have been recruited from communities that are less well represented in the electoral process, including:

• culturally and linguistically diverse communities
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
• people experiencing homelessness
• people with disabilities
• young, potentially first-time voters

Sessions are completely free and, between them, the democracy ambassadors speak 14 languages.

Electoral Commissioner Sven Bluemmel said democracy ambassadors were ready to travel all over Victoria to work with local communities to help them better understand how they can have a say in who runs their local council.

‘Participants in our Be Heard Democracy Ambassador sessions are given a safe space to learn about enrolling and voting,’ Mr Bluemmel said.

’They are supported by interpreters, translated information, and Easy English resources to take home.’

Communities are encouraged to book a Be Heard voter education session and can do so via the VEC website vec.vic.gov.au/info-session.