| Changes In Voting Methods |
|---|
| Year |
Change |
1856 |
Secret Ballots, the so-called "Australian Ballot", were first introduced in Victoria and South Australia. By the 1890s, all six colonies had adopted it.
- 1856 - Victoria, South Australia
- 1858 - New South Wales, Tasmania
- 1859 - Queensland
- 1893 - Western Australia
|
1901 |
The new Federation saw the first-past-the-post voting system introduced. Enrolment and voting was voluntary. |
1906 |
Postal Voting introduced. |
1908 |
Permanent Electoral Rolls Established. |
1911 |
Compulsory Electoral Enrolment introduced. |
1915 |
Voting became compulsory in Queensland State elections. |
1918 |
Preferential Voting was introduced for the first time at the Corangamite by-election on December 14. |
1919 |
Preferential Voting used in the Federal election on December 13. |
1922 |
Grouping of names on the Senate ballot papers introduced. |
1924 |
Compulsory Voting introduced. |
1925 |
Compulsory voting used for the first time in federal elections. 91.31% of electors voted. |
1934 |
Senate system of voting altered to require all preferences to be shown. |
1940 |
Horizontal ballot papers first used in Senate elections. |
1949 |
Proportional Voting by the single transferable vote was introduced for Senate elections. |
1984 |
Group ticket voting introduced for Senate elections. |
