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Reference deskMalaysian political and election glossary

Elections and the vote

Who can vote and how voting works

Voting age, automatic registration, checking your constituency and what happens at a Malaysian polling station.

Direct answer

Malaysian citizens aged 18 and above are registered as electors automatically and vote in person in the constituency where they are registered. Voting is by secret ballot and is not compulsory.

Worked example

Reading turnout and rejected votes in a record

Every InfoUndi constituency record shows registered electors, turnout and rejected ballots. Those three numbers come directly from the registration and polling process this guide describes.

Sources: Election Commission; Election Commission

Minimum age
18 years
Registration
Automatic since December 2021
Check your seat
MySPR Semak
Ballot
Secret, not compulsory

Who qualifies as an elector

Article 119 of the Federal Constitution sets the qualifications: a citizen aged 18 or above who resides in a constituency and is on the electoral roll, unless disqualified, for example while serving a sentence of imprisonment. The 2019 Undi18 amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 and introduced automatic registration, both in force since December 2021.

  • Citizens are added to the electoral roll automatically using national registration identity data; no application is needed.
  • Registration status and the assigned constituency can be checked on the Election Commission's MySPR Semak service.
  • The Election Commission (SPR) maintains and updates the electoral roll; each elector votes only in the constituency where they are registered.
  • Voting is a right, not a duty: there is no penalty for not voting.

Sources: Election Commission; Election Commission; Attorney General's Chambers

What happens on polling day

Each elector is assigned to a polling centre and a voting stream. After identity verification and an ink mark on the finger, the elector receives the ballot papers for that election, marks them in a private booth and places them in the ballot box. Ballots that are wrongly marked or identifiable are counted separately as rejected votes.

  • In a general election a voter receives a parliamentary ballot, and in states polling concurrently a state assembly ballot as well.
  • Military and police voters vote early as advance voters; approved categories, including many Malaysians abroad, vote by post.
  • Rejected ballots are published for every constituency alongside turnout and the result.
  • Results are declared per constituency by the returning officer and published by the Election Commission.

Sources: Election Commission; Election Commission

Common questions

Do I need to register to vote?

No. Since December 2021 citizens are registered automatically on reaching 18. You can confirm your status and constituency on MySPR Semak.

Is voting compulsory in Malaysia?

No. There is no fine or penalty for not voting. Turnout for every constituency is published with the result.

What makes a ballot a rejected vote?

A ballot that is not clearly marked, marked for more than one candidate or identifiable is rejected. Rejected totals are published for every constituency and appear in InfoUndi's records.