What is Australian Electoral Commission?
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox Government agency |agency_name = Australian Electoral Commission |nativename = |nativename_a = |nativename_r = |logo = |logo_width = |formed = 21 February 1984 |preceding1 = |preceding2 = |dissolved = |superseding = |jurisdiction = [[Commonwealth of Australia]] |headquarters = [[Canberra]] |employees = |budget = |minister1_name = [[Gary Gray (Australian politician)|Gary Gray]] |minister1_pfo = [[Special Minister of State]] |minister2_name = |minister2_pfo = |chief1_name = Mr Ed Killesteyn |chief1_position = Electoral Commissioner |chief2_name = The Hon. Peter Heerey QC |chief2_position = Chairperson |chief3_name = Mr Brian Pink |chief3_position = Non-judicial member |parent_agency = [[Department of Finance and Deregulation]] |child1_agency = |child2_agency = |website = [http://www.aec.gov.au/ www.aec.gov.au] |footnotes = }} The '''Australian Electoral Commission''', or the AEC, is the Australian federal government agency in charge of federal elections and [[referendum]]s. State and local government elections are run by the Electoral Commission in each state and territory. The AEC also draws the boundaries for seats and makes regular changes to keep all seats roughly equal in population numbers. It organizes Commonwealth [[electoral roll]] which is a list of people who can vote in elections. The electoral roll is used by the state and territory Electoral Commissions to for their elections. The AEC also plays a leading role in electoral education and industrial voting (votes on industrial action). ==History and structure== The AEC began in 1902, as a part of the Department of Home Affairs. In 1973, it became the Australian Electoral Office. In February 1984 it became the Australian Electoral Commission. The AEC is run by a Chairman who is a Judge, or a retired Judge, of the Federal Court, the Electoral Commissioner and a non-judicial member who is u