The Preferential Voting System
House of Representative candidates stand for election for a specific Division and Members are elected using the preferential voting system.
How preferences are distributed
In the House of Representatives, the ballot paper is green and has all the names of the candidates standing for that Division. The voter must put a number in every square beside the names of the candidates. Number 1 specifies the voter’s first preference, Number 2 specifies the second and so on.
Candidates who get an absolute majority (50% + 1 vote) of formal votes are elected. The allocation of preferences is required when not a single candidate receives an absolute majority. In this case, the candidate with the fewest number of first preference votes is excluded. The second preference votes are then spread to the remaining candidates.
If post the exclusion, no one has gotten an absolute majority, the next remaining candidate with the least votes is excluded and ALL of his/her votes are distributed to the remaining candidates. This process is maintained until one candidate attains an absolute majority of formal votes and is elected.
The Compulsory Voting System
Australian voters deal with two compulsions—compulsory enrolment in an electoral roll and compulsory attendance at polling places.
What is an electoral roll?
An electoral roll is where you have to enroll in order to vote in Federal, State and Local Government Elections. Eligible to enroll in the Australian electoral roll is any person who:
- Is 18 years old and over
- an Australian citizen
- was a British subject on a Commonwealth electoral roll as of January 25, 1984.
- has resided for at least one month at their current address (or within the division).
To get on an electoral roll, obtain and fill out an enrollment form from any Post Office, AEC office, or State/Territory Electoral Office. After completing the form, return it to the nearest division office of the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). Post receipt and processing, you will get an acknowledgment card from the AEC advising you of the name of the federal electoral division you are enrolled in.
Although compulsory enrollment and voting exists in other countries such as the U.K., in Australia, an enrolled voter must vote. If he cannot make it to the polling place, vote by post, or in advance at pre-poll voting centers. Those who are enrolled but failed to vote will be fined $20. This will be waived if an adequate excuse is offered.
