In March 2005, the PILCH Homeless Persons' Legal Clinic and the Council to Homeless Persons made a joint submission, entitled 'Homelessness and Voting', to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters Inquiry into the Conduct of the 2004 Federal Election and Matters Related Thereto.

The submission examines and discusses the franchise of people experiencing homelessness.

In particular, the submission considers:

• levels of electoral enrolment among people experiencing homelessness;
• levels of electoral participation among people experiencing homelessness; and
• the various barriers, disincentives and impediments to electoral enrolment and participation among people experiencing homelessness.

The submission also examines and discusses various strategies and steps, including legislative and administrative steps, to increase levels of electoral enrolment and participation among people experiencing homelessness.

The submission makes 21 key recommendations to improve the franchise of people experiencing homelessness.