Don’t Know How Voting Works? Let’s Help Fix That

Section Editor Chantelle Mackintosh explains the mechanics behind how elections in Australia work while providing voting resources. 

Please Note: This article was written before the official election date and candidates had been announced. 

On 18 February 2025, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) revealed that 72% of Year 10 students did not meet the civics proficiency standard, falling 10% from last year's figures.^[1]  This report also found that students' main concerns are pollution, climate change, crime, and racism.

While this report is regarding Year 6 and 10 students, the lack of knowledge regarding Australian politics can only extend into adulthood. 

One important thing to start civic awareness is learning how Australia’s federal elections work.

How Preferential Voting Works

Australia uses the preferential method of tallying votes to decide federal elections. There are many misconceptions about this form of voting, as it can be confusing.

When filling in a ballot, you can choose to vote either above or below the line.

Above the line voting means you vote for parties as a whole, rather than individual candidates. Below the line voting means you vote for individual candidates, rather than for parties as a whole.

You number each candidate starting at one for your most preferred then working your way down the numbers. 

A candidate needs to have fifty percent plus one, a majority, to be elected. So if there are one hundred votes cast, the winning candidate needs at least fifty-one votes to pass. 

Vote counting starts when all polling places are closed for the day. However, the result can take hours or weeks for a verdict to be reached. 

Votes are first sorted according to the first preference and counted. If any candidate reaches the absolute majority (fifty percent plus one), they are automatically elected. 

If no candidate reaches an absolute majority, the counting continues. This time, the candidate with the fewest votes is removed, and the votes are transferred to the voter’s second preference. This continues until a candidate reaches the absolute majority.

For example, if there are four candidates and one hundred voters, the first round could look like this: Candidate A receives 25 votes, Candidate B gets 15, Candidate C gets 32 and Candidate D gets 28. No candidate has received the absolute majority, so the candidate with the least votes, Candidate B, is disqualified, with their votes allocated to their second preference. In the second round, Candidate A has 33 votes, Candidate C has 34 votes and Candidate D has 33 votes. Still no candidate has reached the absolute majority. Both Candidates A and D have 33 votes, but Candidate A had fewer votes in the first count, and is disqualified, with voters' next preference selected . In the third round, Candidate C receives 49 votes and Candidate D receives 51. Candidate D has received the absolute majority and wins the election. 

Check out the Voting in Australia: Australian Electoral Commission PDF, https://education.aec.gov.au/teacher-resources/files/voting-in-australia.pdf to find more information on how to enrol, sections of government, and other general voting information. 

How to Figure Out What You’re Voting For

There are many resources available that give insight into different political parties and their candidates. 

ABC Vote Compass: https://votecompass.abc.net.au/survey 

The Vote Compass is a good starting point to discover if your political views align with the three main Australian parties, with a variety of questions regarding economic, social, military, cost of living and other important issues. You go through a series of questions weighing how much you agree with or are against these topics, then are given a graph where your views sit amongst the main parties. Unfortunately this system is a bit outdated – from 2022 – as the federal candidates for the 2025 election have not been officially announced. This is a good starting point to see how your interest generally aligns with different parties, but should not be your only research. 

They Vote For You: https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/ 

This website has condensed how politicians have voted across different issues such as economic, social and cost of living issues discussed in parliament. You search by individual candidates, and can compare their voting history with other candidates. This website is kept up to date with a simple layout. 

News Outlets

Various news outlets will report on the actions of different candidates. When reading news sites, take their reporting with a grain of salt. Different news agencies can favour a certain candidate over another, so read from a variety of news sites. While you may be tempted to rely solely on social media to keep you updated, this should merely be a starting point to find full-length articles.

Hopefully this article has curbed any confusion with how the Australian voting system works. Each election is important, and every vote counts. Check out all the resources linked in this article to help you vote cautiously and responsibly. 

REFERENCES:

[1] Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. “New Report Shows Students Value Civics And Citizenship Education Despite Fall In Results.” 18 Feb 2025, www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/media-releases/media-release-my-school-2024-update-4-12-24.pdf?sfvrsn=ecec5307_2.