A wasteful election: how to make voting more sustainable

A wasteful election: how to make voting more sustainable

The recent federal election was the nation’s largest to date, with a huge amount of waste produced by traditional voting processes. RMIT experts explain how future elections could be made more sustainable. 

Co-authors Lisa Given, Gary Rosengarten and Matt Duckham  

Key points: 

  • The Australian Election Commission amassed 250,000 pencils, 240,000 vests, 80,000 ballot boxes and 5,000 rolls of tamper-proof tape to stock some 7,000 polling places for the 2025 federal election. 
  • Australia needs to mandate a cradle-to-grave approach to creating, using, recycling and disposing of election materials. 
  • Many countries are “greening” their elections. In 2019, India’s election commission directed parties to eliminate single-use plastic including corflutes. 
  • Australia relies heavily on disposable election materials. While many of these can be recycled, it’s better to avoid single-use materials. 
  • Other countries are introducing online voting to reduce waste. One study in Estonia found the carbon footprint of paper-based voting was 180 times greater than internet-based voting. 
  • Some print materials may always be needed, because not all voters can access digital content or vote online. But the current situation is unsustainable. 
  • Australia’s newly elected officials have an opportunity to green future elections, adopting a more sophisticated approach to voting in a digital age. There’s no excuse for producing mountains of plastic and paper waste every three or four years.  

Read more at The Conversation.

Lisa Given is a Professor of Information Sciences at RMIT University. She is Director of RMIT’s Centre for Human-AI Information Environments and the Social Change Enabling Impact Platform. 

Gary Rosengarten is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Sustainable Technologies and Systems Enabling Impact Platform at RMIT University.

Matt Duckham is a Professor in Geospatial Sciences and Director of the Information in Society Enabling Impact Platform at RMIT University.

***

General media enquiries: RMIT Communications, 0439 704 077 or news@rmit.edu.au  

06 May 2025

Share

Return to RMIT News
06 May 2025

Share

Engage

Related News

moeve-group-thumbnail.jpg

RMIT and Moeve advance their collaboration to support energy transition

The partners marked a milestone event in Madrid, highlighting joint research activity and opportunities for future collaboration.

hot-homes-thumbnail.jpg

As temperatures rise, inequality deepens

Earlier this year, RMIT Europe and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Spain invited experts to Barcelona to explore the growing tension between extreme heat and housing.

beginning-teach-conference26-image1-1220x732px.jpg

Beginning but not alone. RMIT's graduating cohort of teachers step into the profession with the sector behind them

Successful alumni, school leaders and sector partners joined RMIT's graduating teachers at the Beginning Teacher Conference, where they sharpened their interview skills and celebrated reaching the finish line of their degrees.

gooddesignawards26-image4-1220x732px.jpg

RMIT recognised at 2026 Good Design Awards

Eight projects featuring RMIT design research, outcomes and collaborations have been honoured at the 2026 Australian Good Design Awards.

Show more
aboriginal flag float-starttorres strait flag float-start

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

More information