make laws that we agree with. If they do not do that, then we can vote for different representatives at the next election. Voting is compulsory in Australia. Those with the right to vote have the opportunity to elect representatives to: • the Commonwealth Parliament in Canberra • the state or territory parliament sitting in each capital city • local councils in the city, town or shire in which the electors live. All Australian citizens aged 18 years or over are legally required to enrol to vote. You can enrol any time after your sixteenth birthday, either online or by filling in a paper form. Go to the Voting enrolment form weblink in the Resources panel to view the paperwork you need to complete to register to vote.
Preferential voting and proportional representation Preferential voting
In preferential voting — like Australian federal elections — voters must nominate candidates in their order of preference from highest to lowest. In full preferential voting, this means numbering every candidate on the voting slip from high to low. In optional preferential voting, voters can instead nominate their main preferences without numbering every candidate. Proportional representation Senate elections use proportional representation. Voters may vote ‘above the line’ or ‘below the line’. Voting above the line requires completing at least six boxes in preferential order. Voting below the line requires at least 12 boxes to be numbered. The order of the boxes on the paper is random.
FIGURE2 An example of a Senate ballot
SkillBuilder discussion Evaluating democratic institutions and systems 1. What are the two voting options in Senate elections using proportional representation? 2. Work with a partner to describe the difference between full and optional preferential voting in Australian federal elections. 3. At what age must Australian citizens enrol to vote, and how can they do it?
TOPIC17 Australia’s government and democracy 505
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