Elections in Australia
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Elections in Australia take place periodically to elect the legislature of the
Part IV of Chapter 1 of the
Voting for the federal and each state and territory parliament is compulsory for Australian citizens over the age of 18. Voting is almost entirely conducted using paper ballots. The
Parliaments
Voting for the federal and each state and territory parliament is compulsory for Australian citizens over the age of 18.
Federal Parliament
The Australian Parliament consists of
The Senate has 76 senators, elected through a preferential system of
State Parliaments and Territory Legislative Assemblies
South Australia
The Parliament of South Australia is a bicameral legislature. The House of Assembly (lower house) comprises 47 members elected by preferential voting every 4 years from single member electorates. The Legislative Council (upper house) comprises 22 members elected by proportional representation of single transferable vote every 8 years.[3][4][5]
Queensland
The Parliament of Queensland is unicameral, consisting of the Legislative Assembly of 93 members elected for a 4 year term from single member electorates using fully preferential voting.
Western Australia
The Parliament of Western Australia consists of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. The Legislative Assembly has 57 members elected for a four-year term, unless dissolved earlier, from single member electorates using fully preferential voting. The Legislative Council has 37 members elected for a fixed term of 4 years, in a 'whole of state' electorate using preferential proportional representation.
Electoral Commissions
Elections in Australia (Commonwealth, State or Territory) are organised by their respective electoral commissions, as follows:
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is the federal government agency responsible for organising, conducting and supervising federal elections, by-elections and referendums. The AEC is also responsible for setting electoral boundaries and redistributions, and maintains the Commonwealth electoral roll. State and Territory Electoral Commissions perform an equivalent role for State and Territory elections. The Australian electoral roll is also used by the state and territory Electoral Commissions to conduct State, Territory and local government elections, except Western Australia which maintains its own electoral roll.
Voter enrollment
Since 1984, eligible people have had seven days after a federal election is called to enrol or update address details. For the 2007 federal election, the deadline for new enrolments was reduced to 8 pm on the same business day as the issue of the writs, and 8 pm on the third business day to update address details.[9] The deadline for enrolment is taken with reference to the date an election is called and not the actual election date, and a person not enrolled by the deadline cannot vote. Enrolment can be done online or by completing a form and sending it using regular mail, which must arrive by the deadline.
Election day
Each jurisdiction has its own laws and customs as to when elections in the jurisdiction will take place. However, state and territory elections cannot, by federal law, take place within a week before or after a federal election.
Since 1912, federal elections have been held on Saturdays.
Although elections for the House of Representatives have usually corresponded to half-elections of the Senate, the rules which determine when the elections occur differ. Under the Constitution, the House of Representatives lasts no more than three years after it first meets, but may be dissolved earlier.[2][10] After the House is dissolved or expires, writs for election must be issued within 10 days[11] and the election must be held on a Saturday between 33 and 58 days after the writs have been issued. The next House must meet within 140 days of the writs being issued.
The terms of senators representing the states are of fixed duration (unless Parliament is dissolved in a double dissolution), and elections must occur within a year before the term expires. The terms of senators representing the territories are not fixed, and are tied to the dates of elections for the House of Representatives. Where a House is dissolved early, House and Senate elections may be asynchronous until either the House is again dissolved sufficiently early or a double dissolution occurs.
The Australian Constitution requires that in half-Senate elections the election of State senators must take place within one year before the places become vacant.[12] As the terms of half the senators end on 30 June, the writs for a half-Senate election cannot be issued earlier than the previous 1 July. There is no constitutional requirement for simultaneous elections for the Senate and the House of Representatives, and elections for half the Senate only have taken place in the past. There is a government and electorate preference for Senate elections to take place simultaneously with those of the House of Representatives. Except in the case of a double dissolution, the Senate is not dissolved when elections for the Senate are called and can continue to sit until the term expires. However, it is now a practice for the Senate to be prorogued when the House is dissolved, so that it does not sit during the election period.
By Westminster convention, the decision as to the type of election and date on which an election is to take place is that of the Prime Minister, who 'advises' the Governor-General to set the process in motion by dissolving the House of Representatives (if it has not expired) and then issuing writs for election.
Writs for the election of House of Representatives and territory senators are issued by the Governor-General, while writs for the election of state senators are issued by the respective state governors.[13][14]
Voting
| Informal votes at federal elections (%) | ||
| Year | Senate | House |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 9.9 | 2.5 |
| 1984 | 4.3 | 6.3 |
| 1987 | 4.1 | 4.9 |
| 1990 | 3.4 | 3.2 |
| 1993 | 2.6 | 3.0 |
| 1996 | 3.5 | 3.2 |
| 1998 | 3.24 | 3.78 |
| 2001 | 3.9 | 4.8 |
| 2004 | 3.8 | 5.2 |
| 2007 | 2.55 | 3.95 |
| 2010 | 3.75 | 5.55 |
| 2013 | 2.96 | 5.91 |
| 2016 | 3.94 | 5.05 |
| 2019 | 3.8 | 5.5 |
| Source: Australian Electoral Commission[15] | ||
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Voting in federal, state and territory elections is
At the 2007 federal election there were 7,723 polling places open for voting.[17] In remote areas, mobile polling places have been used since the 1980s.[18] The visually impaired can use electronic voting machines.[19]
Voting is almost entirely conducted by paper ballot. If more than one election takes place at the same time (for example, for the House of Representatives and the Senate), separate ballot papers are used. These are usually of different colours and are deposited into separate boxes.
How-to-vote cards are usually handed out at polling places by party volunteers. They suggest how a party supporter might vote for other candidates or parties. Electors now routinely receive how-to-vote materials through the mail or by other means.
In practice, privacy arrangements allow
Most polling places are schools, community halls or churches. Supporters of these places very commonly take advantage of the large number of visitors undertaking fund raising activity, often including raffles, cake stalls and sales of democracy sausages.
Parties
Political parties have certain benefits in Australia's electoral system, including public funding. Political parties must register with the electoral commission in the jurisdiction in which it is proposing to field or endorse candidates. To be eligible for federal registration a party must have at least one member in the Australian Parliament or 1,500 members,[22] and independent candidates are required to provide 50 signatures to be eligible to stand.[18] An unsuccessful challenge to the 500 member requirement was heard by the High Court of Australia in 2004.[18] Other Australian jurisdictions require political parties to have a minimum number of members. For example, New South Wales requires at least 750 members while the ACT and the Northern Territory require 100 members.[23] There are deadlines for registration of a political party.
Australia has a de facto
Many voters use elections to reaffirm their party allegiance.[1] Party affiliation has declined in recent decades. Voters who voted for the same party each election made up 72% of the electorate in 1967. This figure had declined to 45% by 2007.[23] Minor parties have played a greater role in the politics of Australia since proportional representation was progressively introduced.[18]
Elections in Australia are seen by parties as a chance to develop and refine policies.[1] Rather than a procedure where the best policies win the day, elections are contests where parties fight for power. Elections are not part of the process in which specific decisions on policy are made. Control of policy and platforms are wholly determined within the party.[1]
Candidate selection, in Australia typically called preselection, is a significant factor in the democratic process in Australia because the majority of voters base their decision at election time on the party rather than the candidate. In Australia the decision of who may be a candidate is decided by the party in any manner they choose. It can range from a postal vote to the whole party membership through to a decision made by a small select committee.[23]
Election campaigns
The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 stipulates that political advertisements display the name and address of the individual authorising them.[23] The Broadcasting Services Act 1922 bans the broadcast of advertisements in the three days prior to an election.[23] A ban on broadcast election advertising was imposed under the Political Broadcasts and Political Disclosures Act 1991 but was overturned by the High Court of Australia in 1992.[1] Party registration rules have become stricter, especially in New South Wales.[18]
Television is the preferred medium for campaign news in Australia.[23] At the 2004 federal election more than three-quarters of money spent on advertising was television based.[23]
Incumbent candidates and government have significant benefits compared to non-incumbents. These include substantial allowances and access to staff whose travel is covered by parliamentary allowances.[18]
The Australian Election Study coordinated by the Australian National University was introduced in 1987. The series of surveys are conducted post election and provide a unique take on political behaviour during election campaigns.[23]
Public funding
Australia's first partial public election funding was introduced in 1981 by the then
Public funding is the preferred means to cover costs rather than corporate donations.
In Queensland, the threshold for public funding is 6% of the primary vote. The threshold in Victoria, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory is 4%. South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory do not have public funding for parties and candidates at elections.[18][29]
Caretaker convention
A series of conventions has evolved covering the conduct of the business of government by ministers, their departments of state, and the Public Service during the "caretaker period" of the election. This period begins after the announcement of the election date, when the Governor-General of Australia dissolves the federal parliament on advice from the Prime Minister. It ends after the election result is known and clear, when a newly elected government is sworn into office.
Federal lower house primary, two-party and seat results
A
| Election Year |
Labour | Free Trade | Protectionist | Independent
|
Other parties |
Total seats | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1901 | 14 | 28 | 31 | 2 | 75 | ||||
| Election Year |
Labour | Free Trade | Protectionist | Independent
|
Other parties |
Total seats | ||||
| 2nd | 1903 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 1 | Revenue Tariff | 75 | |||
| Election Year |
Labour | Anti-Socialist | Protectionist | Independent
|
Other parties |
Total seats | ||||
| 3rd | 1906 | 26 | 26 | 21 | 1 | 1 | Western Australian | 75 | ||
| Primary vote | 2PP vote | Seats | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALP | L+NP | Oth. | ALP | L+NP | ALP | L+NP | Oth. | Total | |
| 13 April 1910 election | 50.0% | 45.1% | 4.9% | – | – | 42 | 31 | 2 | 75 |
| 31 May 1913 election | 48.5% | 48.9% | 2.6% | – | – | 37 | 38 | 0 | 75 |
| 5 September 1914 election | 50.9% | 47.2% | 1.9% | – | – | 42 | 32 | 1 | 75 |
| 5 May 1917 election | 43.9% | 54.2% | 1.9% | – | – | 22 | 53 | 0 | 75 |
| 13 December 1919 election | 42.5% | 54.3% | 3.2% | 45.9% | 54.1% | 25 | 38 | 2 | 75 |
| 16 December 1922 election | 42.3% | 47.8% | 9.9% | 48.8% | 51.2% | 29 | 40 | 6 | 75 |
| 14 November 1925 election | 45.0% | 53.2% | 1.8% | 46.2% | 53.8% | 23 | 50 | 2 | 75 |
| 17 November 1928 election | 44.6% | 49.6% | 5.8% | 48.4% | 51.6% | 31 | 42 | 2 | 75 |
| 12 October 1929 election | 48.8% | 44.2% | 7.0% | 56.7% | 43.3% | 46 | 24 | 5 | 75 |
| 19 December 1931 election | 27.1% | 48.4% | 24.5% | 41.5% | 58.5% | 14 | 50 | 11 | 75 |
| 15 September 1934 election | 26.8% | 45.6% | 27.6% | 46.5% | 53.5% | 18 | 42 | 14 | 74 |
| 23 October 1937 election | 43.2% | 49.3% | 7.5% | 49.4% | 50.6% | 29 | 43 | 2 | 74 |
| 21 September 1940 election | 40.2% | 43.9% | 15.9% | 50.3% | 49.7% | 32 | 36 | 6 | 74 |
| 21 August 1943 election | 49.9% | 23.0% | 27.1% | 58.2% | 41.8% | 49 | 19 | 6 | 74 |
| 28 September 1946 election | 49.7% | 39.3% | 11.0% | 54.1% | 45.9% | 43 | 26 | 5 | 74 |
| 10 December 1949 election | 46.0% | 50.3% | 3.7% | 49.0% | 51.0% | 47 | 74 | 0 | 121 |
| 28 April 1951 election | 47.6% | 50.3% | 2.1% | 49.3% | 50.7% | 52 | 69 | 0 | 121 |
| 29 May 1954 election | 50.0% | 46.8% | 3.2% | 50.7% | 49.3% | 57 | 64 | 0 | 121 |
| 10 December 1955 election | 44.6% | 47.6% | 7.8% | 45.8% | 54.2% | 47 | 75 | 0 | 122 |
| 22 November 1958 election | 42.8% | 46.6% | 10.6% | 45.9% | 54.1% | 45 | 77 | 0 | 122 |
| 9 December 1961 election | 47.9% | 42.1% | 10.0% | 50.5% | 49.5% | 60 | 62 | 0 | 122 |
| 30 November 1963 election | 45.5% | 46.0% | 8.5% | 47.4% | 52.6% | 50 | 72 | 0 | 122 |
| 26 November 1966 election | 40.0% | 50.0% | 10.0% | 43.1% | 56.9% | 41 | 82 | 1 | 124 |
| 25 October 1969 election | 47.0% | 43.3% | 9.7% | 50.2% | 49.8% | 59 | 66 | 0 | 125 |
| 2 December 1972 election | 49.6% | 41.5% | 8.9% | 52.7% | 47.3% | 67 | 58 | 0 | 125 |
| 18 May 1974 election | 49.3% | 44.9% | 5.8% | 51.7% | 48.3% | 66 | 61 | 0 | 127 |
| 13 December 1975 election | 42.8% | 53.1% | 4.1% | 44.3% | 55.7% | 36 | 91 | 0 | 127 |
| 10 December 1977 election | 39.7% | 48.1% | 12.2% | 45.4% | 54.6% | 38 | 86 | 0 | 124 |
| 18 October 1980 election | 45.2% | 46.3% | 8.5% | 49.6% | 50.4% | 51 | 74 | 0 | 125 |
| 5 March 1983 election | 49.5% | 43.6% | 6.9% | 53.2% | 46.8% | 75 | 50 | 0 | 125 |
| 1 December 1984 election | 47.6% | 45.0% | 7.4% | 51.8% | 48.2% | 82 | 66 | 0 | 148 |
| 11 July 1987 election | 45.8% | 46.1% | 8.1% | 50.8% | 49.2% | 86 | 62 | 0 | 148 |
| 24 March 1990 election | 39.4% | 43.5% | 17.1% | 49.9% | 50.1% | 78 | 69 | 1 | 148 |
| 13 March 1993 election | 44.9% | 44.3% | 10.7% | 51.4% | 48.6% | 80 | 65 | 2 | 147 |
| 2 March 1996 election | 38.7% | 47.3% | 14.0% | 46.4% | 53.6% | 49 | 94 | 5 | 148 |
| 3 October 1998 election | 40.1% | 39.5% | 20.4% | 51.0% | 49.0% | 67 | 80 | 1 | 148 |
| 10 November 2001 election | 37.8% | 43.0% | 19.2% | 49.0% | 51.0% | 65 | 82 | 3 | 150 |
| 9 October 2004 election | 37.6% | 46.7% | 15.7% | 47.3% | 52.7% | 60 | 87 | 3 | 150 |
| 24 November 2007 election | 43.4% | 42.1% | 14.5% | 52.7% | 47.3% | 83 | 65 | 2 | 150 |
| 21 August 2010 election | 38.0% | 43.3% | 18.7% | 50.1% | 49.9% | 72 | 72 | 6 | 150 |
| 7 September 2013 election | 33.4% | 45.6% | 21.0% | 46.5% | 53.5% | 55 | 90 | 5 | 150 |
| 2 July 2016 election | 34.7% | 42.0% | 23.3% | 49.6% | 50.4% | 69 | 76 | 5 | 150 |
| 18 May 2019 election | 33.3% | 41.4% | 25.3% | 48.5% | 51.5% | 68 | 77 | 6 | 151 |
| 21 May 2022 election | 32.58% | 35.70% | 31.72% | 52.13% | 47.87% | 77 | 58 | 16 | 151 |
See also
- List of Australian federal elections
- List of Australian federal by-elections
- Proportional Representation Society of Australia
References
- ^ ISBN 0732931843. Archivedfrom the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ^ a b "About the House of Representatives". Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
- ^ "Archived copy". parliament.sa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Archived copy". parliament.sa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Archived copy". parliament.sa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Australian Electoral Commission. "British Subjects Eligibility". Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 4 March 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
- ^ section 93(1)(b)(ii) of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918.
- ^ Canberra, Dan Harrison (23 June 2009). "British citizens may lose voting rights". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 26 April 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
- ^ "Close of Rolls". Australian Electoral Commission (www.aec.gov.au). 2007. Archived from the original on 19 October 2007. Retrieved 22 October 2007.
- ^ Section 28 of the Australian Constitution
- ^ Section 32 of the Australian Constitution
- ^ Section 13 of the Australian Constitution
- ^ "Odgers' Australian Senate Practice - Chapter 4 - Elections for the Senate". Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 18 May 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Key dates and timelines for the 2022 federal election". The Canberra Times. 11 April 2022. Archived from the original on 15 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Informality (%) House of Representatives and Senate". Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 19 June 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
- ^ "Enrolling deadline on Monday night". news.com.au. Australian Associated Press. 17 July 2010. Archived from the original on 21 May 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ^ "Australians reminded to vote tomorrow". PerthNow. Australian Associated Press. 22 November 2007. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ^ ISBN 978-1862877252. Archivedfrom the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ^ Jo Best (17 July 2007). "E-voting comes to Australia". ZDNet. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
- ^ James Glenday (12 June 2013). "Political uncertainty is changing the preparations for the 2013 federal election". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- ^ Christian Kerr (17 August 2010). "Donkey votes to go to Coalition in key marginal Labor seats". The Australian. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
- ^ "Party registration overview". Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ^ ISBN 978-0521137539. Archivedfrom the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ^ "Donations a dilemma of modern democracy". Australian Times. Blue Sky Publications. 2 May 2014. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
- ^ ISBN 978-1409497271. Archivedfrom the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ISBN 978-1783081219. Archivedfrom the original on 5 May 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
- ^ "Election funding". Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 19 June 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ISBN 0868409480. Archivedfrom the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
- ^ "Election funding and disclosure in Australian states and territories: a quick guide". Archived from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
External links
- Australian Electoral Study
- Adam Carr's Election Archive
- Archived websites from Australian electoral campaigns since 1996
- Guidance on Caretaker Conventions – Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia)
- Australian Politics and Elections Database (University of Western Australia)
- Full text (HTML) file of the Constitution. From the Parliament of Australia web site.