What is preferential voting?
You number the candidates in order, and if your first choice is knocked out your vote moves to your next choice.
Your vote keeps counting after your first choice is out, so a first preference for a small candidate is not wasted.
The rule
- On a House of Representatives ballot you write 1 beside your first choice, then 2, 3 and so on until every box is numbered.
- If every box but one is numbered, the blank box counts as your last preference and the vote still counts.
- A House candidate wins with more than 50% of the formal votes. If no one has that, the candidate with the fewest votes is excluded, their votes move to the next preference on each ballot, and this repeats until one candidate is over half.
- A ballot is informal, and set aside, if it is blank, has ticks or crosses, repeats a number, has writing that identifies the voter, or the voter's intention is not clear.
- On the Senate ballot you number at least 6 boxes above the line, or at least 12 below the line. Above the line your numbers go to groups, and your preferences go to the people in your first group, then your second group, and so on.
- The Senate fills several seats at once, so a candidate needs a quota of the formal votes, not half.
- This page covers federal elections. State and territory elections run under their own laws, so check your state electoral commission for those.
What people ask
How does preferential voting work?
Everyone numbers the candidates from first choice down. If nobody has more than half the first choices, the candidate with the fewest is out and their votes move to the next choice on each ballot. That repeats until one candidate is over half.
Is a vote for a small candidate wasted?
No. If that candidate is knocked out, your vote moves to the next number on your ballot, so it keeps counting.
Do I have to number every box?
On the House ballot, yes, with one allowance: if every box but one is numbered, the blank box counts as your last choice and the vote counts.
How do I vote in the Senate?
Number at least 6 boxes above the line, or at least 12 below it. Above the line you are numbering groups. Below the line you are numbering people.
What is an informal vote?
A ballot that was filled in wrongly, so it cannot be counted towards any candidate. Examples are a blank paper, ticks or crosses, or a repeated number.