FAQ

Short answers to common questions about how Australian politics works.

How does preferential voting work?

For the House of Representatives you number every box on the ballot in order of preference. If no candidate has more than half the first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is excluded and their ballots go to each voter's next preference. This repeats until one candidate has a majority.

For the Senate you can number at least 6 boxes above the line (for parties or groups) or at least 12 boxes below the line (for individual candidates).

More: AEC — Preferential voting

What is a double dissolution?

Under section 57 of the Constitution, if the Senate rejects or fails to pass a bill that the House has passed, and does so again at least three months later, the Governor-General can dissolve both houses at once. Every seat in both houses then goes to an election, not the usual half of the Senate.

A double dissolution can't be called in the last six months of the House's term. If the bill is still blocked after the election, it can go to a joint sitting of both houses. The most recent double dissolution election was in 2016.

More: House of Representatives infosheets

Senate quota explained

A Senate candidate is elected once they reach a quota of votes. The quota is the number of formal votes divided by one more than the number of seats being filled, plus one (ignoring any remainder).

At a normal half-Senate election each state fills 6 seats, so a quota is about 14.3% of the vote. At a double dissolution each state fills 12 seats and a quota falls to about 7.7%. The territories elect 2 senators each, so their quota is about 33.3%. Surplus votes from elected candidates, and votes from excluded candidates, flow on as preferences.

More: AEC — How elections work

How to enrol to vote

Australian citizens aged 18 and over must enrol and vote in federal elections. You can enrol from age 16 and will be able to vote once you turn 18. Enrolling, or updating your address, takes a few minutes online with the AEC.

When an election is called, the electoral roll closes seven days after the writs are issued, so don't leave it late.

Enrol: aec.gov.au/enrol

What is question time?

Question time is held in both houses on most sitting days, normally starting at 2pm. Members ask ministers questions without notice, with the call usually alternating between the government and non-government sides.

Friendly questions from government backbenchers, designed to let a minister promote the government's record or attack the opposition, are known as "Dorothy Dixers".

Watch live: ParlView