Voting Systems Notes

How was Senate Voting Reformed in 2016

Adv. of Preferential Voting

1. finds the ‘will of the majority’

2. minor parties/ independents have a chance to be elected

3. promotes a strong 2-party system, ensuring stability in the parliamentary process

Disadv. of Preferential Voting

1. complicated to administer/count (not good reason)

2. can produce a higher level of informal voting

3. hard for minority groups to win in HOR (promotes 2-party system)

4. people are forced to vote for candidates who do not want to support

What is FPTP (aka simple majority voting)?

A voting system in which the candidate with the largest number of votes is declared elected even if they receive less than half of the votes cast

Adv. of FPTP

Disadv. of FPTP

What is the Balance of Power and Who Holds it?

When no political party or coalition holds majority in the Senate and therefore requires support from a sufficient number of minor parties or independents, this power to allow or veto legislation is called the balance of power

What is the Electoral Compromise?

The PV of the HOR and the PPV of the Senate compromising in parliament to represent minor parties, encourage negotiations and prevent executive dominance.

What is Gerrymandering?

the act of manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency so as to favour one party, usually the party in power. Impossible in Australia because elections are run by the AEC. The AEC considers these factors and remains transparent when drawing out the electorates:

• Enrolment numbers and projected population growth

• Public proposals and objections taken

• Maps showing boundaries published for public

• Parliament has no power to reject or amend final proposed boundaries

What is Malapportionment?

Any system where one group has significantly more influence than another e.g. voting districts are unevenly spread out across a population. In Australia, this could be how a Tasmanian vote is worth a lot more than a Victorian vote

What is a Double Dissolution?

A procedure outlined under Section 57 of the Const. and triggered when the gov of the day fails to pass 2 consecutive laws within 3 months through the Senate. It is the simultaneous dissolution of both houses of parliament to resolve deadlocks between them.

What is preferential voting?

A voting system where voters must indicate their order of preference for the candidates listed on a ballot. A candidate is elected once they have 50% + 1 of the total votes

What is Proportional Preferential Voting?

A voting system based on multi-member electorates in which each successful candidate must achieve a quota - a fraction of the vote that reflects the number of positions to be filled from the electorate. The quota for state candidates is approximately 14.3%

Adv. of Proportional Preferential Voting

1. allows independent/minor parties to win seats in Parliament

2. ensures that no votes are wasted as they are in 1-member electorates

3. more representatives of the wishes of the electorate, in that parties win seats in proportion to the % of the vote they receive

Disadv. of Proportional Preferential Voting

1. complicated, costly and time-consuming (not good reason)

2. can promote instability in parliament by allowing minor parties to win seats

3. BOP can be held by a # of members elected by a small minority of the electorate

What is Mirror Representation?

A concept where the parliament is an accurate reflection of society

How are free and fair elections achieved in Australia?

What is Political Representation?

the electoral systems of a nation which allows for citizens to engage in the political system and be represented in the parliament and gov.

How is Political Representation UPHELD?

1. higher diversity of political parties, with realistic chance of winning seats

2. frequent elections (outlined in Section 28) every 3 years

3. Electoral compromise of 2 different voting systems

4. no 3-cornered contests pr vote wastage due to PV

5. independent election administration by the AEC

6. strong history of electoral reform - FPTP until 1918, then PV. Senate uses PR since 1949 and Senate reforms in 2016 to eliminate preference whispering and group ticket voting

How is Political Representation UNDERMINED?

1. 2-party system entrenched in the HOR

2. complexity of ATL/BTL voting leads to most people voting ATL

3. malapportionment in the Senate due to equal representation of each state

4. 6 years term in Senate weakens renewal of representation

5. BOP in Senate can be unrepresentative of the will of the majority

6. mirror representation is not achieved

What is Popular Participation?

participation of citizens in their own gov. It is enabled by political and civil rights such as the right to vote and to run for public office and the freedoms of speech and assembly

How is Popular Participation UPHELD?

1. Cth Electoral Act gave franchise to women in 1902, ATSI in 1962, compulsory voting was introduced in 1923, the age to vote was brought down from 21 to 18 in 1973

2. diverse range of political parties (micro, minor and major)

3. HCA has ruled that it is unlawful to ban political parties

4. pressure groups are active in Australia

How is Popular Participation UNDERMINED?

1. no statutory Bill of Rights to protect basic freedoms of participation

2. common law is the weakest type of law to protect rights (easily abrogated)

3. participation of ATSI is limited due to many factors (e.g. living in rural areas that are hard to access)

What is the Australian Electoral Commission?

An impartial 3rd party (statutory authority) that runs elections free from gov. influence and which are fair

2022 Election Data HOR

Gov. - Labour 77/151

Opp. - LNC 58/151

Crossbench - 1 Centre, Alliance, I Katter’s Australian Party, 4 Greens and 10 Independents

2022 Election Data Senate

Gov - Labour 26/76

Opp - LNC 32/76

Crossbench - 12 Greens, 2 One Nation, 2 Jacqui Lambie Network, 1 United Australia Party, and 1 David Pocock

2025 Election Data HOR

Gov - Labour 94/150

Opp - LNC 43/150

Crossbench - 1 Greens, 1 Centre Alliance, 1 Katter’s Australian Party, 10 Independents

2025 Election Data Senate

Gov - Labour 28/76

Opp - LNC 27/76

Crossbench - 11 Greens, 4 One Nation, 1 Jacqui Lambie, 1 Australia’s Voice, 1 David Pocock, 1 Independent, 1 Tammy Tyrell for Tasmania, 1 United Australia Party

Ricky Muir

Elected into the Senate in the 2013 election as part of the Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party. Only secured 0.51% of the primary vote but achieved a quota through preferences flowing from 23 other minor parties (Group Ticket Voting)