Enrolment drive from electoral commission

The Australian Electoral Commission will urge almost 500,000 people to enrol to vote ahead of this year's federal election in a campaign driven by text messages, emails and letters.

Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers said a record 16.2 million people, or about 96 per cent of eligible voters, were already on the roll making it the largest enrolment rate in history.

"We are very confident that, for the upcoming federal election, our enrolment efforts throughout the electoral cycle combined with upcoming AEC communication will produce the most complete and accurate roll Australia has ever had," he said in a statement on Wednesday.