View source for Elections in Australia

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2024}}
{{Politics of Australia sidebar}}
'''Elections in Australia''' take place periodically to elect the legislature of the [[Commonwealth of Australia]], as well as for each [[Australian states and territories|Australian state and territory]] and for local government councils. Elections in all jurisdictions follow similar principles, although there are minor variations between them. The elections for the [[Parliament of Australia|Australian Parliament]] are held under the [[Electoral system of Australia|federal electoral system]], which is uniform throughout the country, and the elections for state and territory Parliaments are held under the [[electoral systems of the Australian states and territories|electoral system of each state and territory]]. An [[election day]] is always a Saturday, but [[early  voting]] is allowed in the lead-up to it. 

Part IV of Chapter 1 of the [[Australian Constitution]] briefly deals with eligibility for voting and election to the federal Australian Parliament. It does not prescribe how elections should be conducted.<ref name="poon"/> Election campaigns and associated political advertisements are subject to some regulation. [[Political funding in Australia|Public funding of political parties]] and party registration was introduced in 1983.

Voting for the federal and each state and territory parliament is compulsory for Australian citizens over the age of 18. Voting is almost entirely conducted using paper ballots. The [[informal vote]] is not usually significant, but a [[donkey vote]] is more common, and may have a deciding impact in marginal seats.

==Parliaments==
Voting for the federal and each state and territory parliament is compulsory for Australian citizens over the age of 18.<ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|cea1918233|Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918|93}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|cea1918233|Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918|245}}</ref>

===Federal Parliament===
{{See also|Parliament of Australia}}
The Australian Parliament consists of [[bicameralism|two chambers]] (known as a bicameral Parliament), the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] (commonly also referred as the [[lower house]]) and the [[Australian Senate|Senate]] (also referred as the [[upper house]]). The House of Representatives has 150 members, elected for a maximum term of three years in single-member [[constituency|constituencies]] (each approximately equal in voters). Elections are conducted by a system of [[preferential voting]] (also called alternative voting or [[instant-runoff voting]]).<ref name="ahp" />

The Senate has 76 senators, elected through a preferential system of [[proportional representation]] with a system of [[single transferable vote]], with each state constituting a single [[constituency]] normally returning 6 senators every three years and each territory constituting a single constituency returning two senators. Electors in the two territories elect senators for non-fixed terms that are defined by the term of the House of Representatives. State senators normally serve fixed six-year terms, with half of the seats in each State expiring every three years. In the event of a [[double dissolution]], the terms of all the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives seats end immediately.

=== State Parliaments and Territory Legislative Assemblies ===
{{See also|Parliaments of the Australian states and territories}}

==== South Australia ====
The [[Parliament of South Australia]] is a bicameral legislature. The [[South Australian House of Assembly|House of Assembly]] (lower house) comprises 47 members elected by full preferential voting every 4 years from single member electorates. The [[South Australian Legislative Council|Legislative Council]] (upper house) comprises 22 members elected by proportional representation of single transferable vote every 8 years.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/en/About-Parliament/System-of-Government#:~:text=The%20Parliament%20of%20South%20Australia,to%20the%20Queen%20of%20England. |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=parliament.sa.gov.au |title=System of Government |archive-date=7 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507111316/https://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/en/About-Parliament/System-of-Government#:~:text=The%20Parliament%20of%20South%20Australia,to%20the%20Queen%20of%20England. |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/en/House-of-Assembly/House-of-Assembly-Home |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=parliament.sa.gov.au |title=House of Assembly |archive-date=7 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507111313/https://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/en/House-of-Assembly/House-of-Assembly-Home |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/en/Legislative-Council/Legislative-Council-Home |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=parliament.sa.gov.au |title=Legislative Council |archive-date=7 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507111315/https://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/en/Legislative-Council/Legislative-Council-Home |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Queensland ====
The [[Parliament of Queensland]] is unicameral, consisting of the [[Legislative Assembly of Queensland|Legislative Assembly]] of 93 members elected for a 4 year term from single member electorates using [[Optional preferential voting|full preferential voting]].

==== Western Australia ====
The [[Parliament of Western Australia]] consists of the [[Western Australian Legislative Assembly|Legislative Assembly]] and the Legislative Council. The Legislative Assembly has 57 members elected for a four-year term, unless dissolved earlier, from single member electorates using fully preferential voting. The Legislative Council has 37 members elected for a fixed term of 4 years, in a 'whole of state' electorate using preferential proportional representation.

==Electoral Commissions==
{{See also|Electoral system of Australia|Electoral systems of the Australian states and territories}}
Elections in Australia (Commonwealth, State or Territory) are organised by their respective electoral commissions, as follows:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="float: left;" border="1" 
|-
! colspan="5" style="font-size:100%; background:#cef; text-align:center;" |'''Electoral Commissions'''
|-
!  Jurisdiction !! Electoral Commission (year established) 
!Periodic oversight of legislative seat contests in any given election
!Date of most recent major election
! data-sort-type="date" |Next major election scheduled for / required by
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{Flagicon|Australia}} [[Australia|Commonwealth]]|| rowspan="2" | [[Australian Electoral Commission]] (1984) 
|[[Lower house]]: All 150 seats in the [[Australian House of Representatives]] (every 3 years)
| rowspan="2"| [[2025 Australian federal election|3 May 2025]]
| rowspan="2" data-sort-value="1 January 2028"| [[Next Australian federal election|2028]]
|-
|[[Upper house]]: 40 (of the 76) seats in the [[Australian Senate]] (every 3 years)
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{Flag|New South Wales}}|| rowspan="2" | [[New South Wales Electoral Commission]] (2006)
|Lower house: All 93 seats in the [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly]] (every 4 years)
| rowspan="2" |[[2023 New South Wales state election|25 March 2023]]
| rowspan="2" |[[2027 New South Wales state election|27 March 2027]]
|-
|Upper house: 21 (of the 42) seats in the [[New South Wales Legislative Council]] (every 4 years)
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{Flag|Victoria}}|| rowspan="2" | [[Victorian Electoral Commission]] (2002)
|Lower house: All 88 seats in the [[Victorian Legislative Assembly]] (every 4 years)
| rowspan="2" |[[2022 Victorian state election|26 November 2022]]
| rowspan="2" |[[2026 Victorian state election|28 November 2026]]
|-
|Upper house: All 40 seats in the [[Victorian Legislative Council]] (every 4 years)
|-
| {{Flag|Queensland}}|| [[Electoral Commission of Queensland]] (1992)
|[[Unicameralism|Unicameral]]: All 93 seats in the [[Legislative Assembly of Queensland]] (every 4 years)
|[[2024 Queensland state election|26 October 2024]]
|28 October 2028
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{Flag|Western Australia}}|| rowspan="2" | [[Western Australian Electoral Commission]] (1987)
|Lower house: All 59 seats in the [[Western Australian Legislative Assembly]] (every 4 years)
| rowspan="2" |[[2025 Western Australian state election|8 March 2025]]
| rowspan="2" data-sort-value="1 January 2029"|2029
|-
|Upper house: All 36 members in the [[Western Australian Legislative Council]] (every 4 years)
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{Flag|South Australia}}|| rowspan="2" | [[Electoral Commission of South Australia]] (2009) 
|Lower house: All 47 seats in the [[South Australian House of Assembly]] (every 4 years)
| rowspan="2" |[[2022 South Australian state election|19 March 2022]]
| rowspan="2" |[[2026 South Australian state election|21 March 2026]]
|-
|Upper house: 11 (of the 22) seats in the [[South Australian Legislative Council]] (every 4 years)
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{Flag|Tasmania}}|| rowspan="2" | [[Tasmanian Electoral Commission]] (2005) 
|Lower house: All 25 seats in the [[Tasmanian House of Assembly]] (every 4 years)
|[[2024 Tasmanian state election|23 March 2024]]
|[[2025 Tasmanian state election|19 July 2025]]
|-
|Upper house: 2 or 3 (of the 15 seats) in the [[Tasmanian Legislative Council]] (every year) 
|[[2025 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic election|24 May 2025]]
|data-sort-value="1 January 2026" |2026
|-
| {{Flag|Australian Capital Territory}}|| [[Australian Capital Territory Electoral Commission]] (1992)
|Unicameral: All 25 seats of the [[Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly]] (every 4 years)
|[[2024 Australian Capital Territory election|19 October 2024]]
|21 October 2028
|-
| {{Flag|Northern Territory}}|| [[Northern Territory Electoral Commission]] (2004) 
|Unicameral: All 25 seats in the [[Northern Territory Legislative Assembly]] (every 4 years)
|[[2024 Northern Territory general election|24 August 2024]]
|26 August 2028
|-
|}

{{clear}}

The [[Australian Electoral Commission]] (AEC) is the federal government agency responsible for organising, conducting and supervising federal elections, by-elections and [[Referendums in Australia|referendums]]. The AEC is also responsible for setting electoral boundaries and [[Redistribution (Australia)|redistributions]], and maintains the Commonwealth [[electoral roll#Australia|electoral roll]]. State and Territory Electoral Commissions perform an equivalent role for State and Territory elections. The Australian electoral roll is also used by the state and territory Electoral Commissions to conduct State, Territory and local government elections, except Western Australia which maintains its own electoral roll.

==Voter enrolment ==
[[Voter registration in Australia|Enrolment on the electoral roll]], known in some other countries as [[voter registration|registration]], is compulsory for all Australian citizens aged 18 years and over. Residents in Australia who had been enrolled as [[British subjects]] on 25 January 1984 continue to be enrolled and vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aec.gov.au/Enrolling_to_vote/British_subjects.htm|title=British Subjects Eligibility|author=Australian Electoral Commission|access-date=11 March 2015|website=Australian Electoral Commission|archive-date=4 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150304092958/http://aec.gov.au/Enrolling_to_vote/British_subjects.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|cea1918233|Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918|93}}</ref> (Almost 163,000 voters were recorded as British subjects on the electoral roll in 2009.)<ref>{{Cite web|location=Canberra|first=Dan |last=Harrison|date=2009-06-23|title=British citizens may lose voting rights|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/british-citizens-may-lose-voting-rights-20090623-cve9.html|access-date=2022-03-28|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|archive-date=26 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426004715/https://www.smh.com.au/national/british-citizens-may-lose-voting-rights-20090623-cve9.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

As of 2024, the deadline to enrol or update enrolment information such as address is 7 days after the [[writ of election]] is issued.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Australian Electoral Commission |author-link=Australian Electoral Commission |date=27 September 2019 |title=Federal Election Timetable |url=https://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/federal_elections/Federal_Election_Timetable.htm}}</ref>

{{clear}}

==Election day==
Each jurisdiction has its own laws and customs as to when elections in the jurisdiction will take place. However, state and territory elections cannot, by federal law, take place within a week before or after a federal election.<ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|cea1918233|Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918|394}}</ref>

According to the [[Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918]], federal elections must be held on a Saturday.<ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|cea1918233|Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918|158}}</ref>

Although elections for the House of Representatives have usually corresponded to half-elections of the Senate, the rules which determine when the elections occur differ. Under the Constitution, the House of Representatives lasts no more than three years after it first meets, but may be dissolved earlier.<ref name="ahp">{{cite web |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/About_the_House_of_Representatives |title=About the House of Representatives |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia |access-date=19 September 2015 |archive-date=23 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923172620/http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/About_the_House_of_Representatives |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|coaca430|Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act|28}}</ref> After the House is dissolved or expires, [[writ of election|writs for election]] must be issued within 10 days<ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|coaca430|Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act|32}}</ref> and the election must be held on a Saturday between 33 and 58 days after the writs have been issued. The next House must meet within 30 days of the writs being returned.<ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|coaca430|Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act|5}}</ref>

The terms of senators representing the states are of fixed duration (unless Parliament is dissolved in a [[double dissolution]]), and elections must occur within a year before the term expires. The terms of senators representing the territories are not fixed, and are tied to the dates of elections for the House of Representatives.<ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|cea1918233|Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918|42}}</ref> Where a House is dissolved early, House and Senate elections may be asynchronous until either the House is again dissolved sufficiently early or a double dissolution occurs.

The [[Constitution of Australia|Australian Constitution]] requires that in half-Senate elections the election of State senators must take place within one year before the places become vacant.<ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|coaca430|Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act|13}}</ref> As the terms of half the senators end on 30 June, the writs for a half-Senate election cannot be issued earlier than the previous 1 July. There is no constitutional requirement for simultaneous elections for the Senate and the House of Representatives, and elections for half the Senate only have taken place in the past. There is a government and electorate preference for Senate elections to take place simultaneously with those of the House of Representatives. Except in the case of a double dissolution, the Senate is not dissolved when elections for the Senate are called and can continue to sit until the term expires. However, it is now a practice for the Senate to be [[Legislative session#Australia|prorogued]] when the House is dissolved, so that it does not sit during the election period.

By Westminster convention, the decision as to the type of election and date on which an election is to take place is that of the Prime Minister, who advises the Governor-General to set the process in motion by dissolving the House of Representatives (if it has not expired) and then issuing writs for election.

Writs for the election of House of Representatives and territory senators are issued by the [[Governor-General of Australia|Governor-General]], while writs for the election of state senators are issued by the respective state governors.<ref>{{cite book|edition=14th|first=Harry|last=Evans|editor-first=Rosemary|editor-last=Laing|via=[[Clerk of the Australian Senate|Department of the Senate]]|location=Canberra|isbn=978-1-76010-503-7|year=2016|url=https://www.aph.gov.au/about_Parliament/Senate/Powers_practice_n_procedures/Odgers_Australian_Senate_Practice/Chapter_04|title=Odgers' Australian Senate Practice - Chapter 4 - Elections for the Senate|publisher=Parliament of Australia|access-date=15 April 2022|archive-date=18 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518072345/https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Powers_practice_n_procedures/Odgers_Australian_Senate_Practice/Chapter_04|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url-access=subscription|first=Doug|last=Dingwall|url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7690812/all-the-key-steps-and-dates-now-we-have-an-election-date/|title=Key dates and timelines for the 2022 federal election|work=The Canberra Times|date=10 April 2022|access-date=15 April 2022|archive-date=15 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415023110/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7690812/all-the-key-steps-and-dates-now-we-have-an-election-date/|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{as of|2025}}, Australia has never held a federal election in January, February or June.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://antonygreen.com.au/will-australia-have-its-first-february-election-and-what-about-the-wa-election-date/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |title=Will Australia have its first February Election? And what about the WA Election Date? |first=Antony |last=Green |author-link=Antony Green |date=13 December 2024 |publisher=Antony Green's Election Blog |archive-date=18 December 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241218032827/https://antonygreen.com.au/will-australia-have-its-first-february-election-and-what-about-the-wa-election-date/}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:96%" style="text-align:center"
! Month
! Election
|-
|align=left| January   
| None 
|-
|align=left| February 
| None
|-
|align=left| March  ('''5''')
|  [[1901 Australian federal election|1901]], [[1983 Australian federal election|1983]], [[1990 Australian federal election|1990]], [[1993 Australian federal election|1993]], [[1996 Australian federal election|1996]]
|-
|align=left| April  ('''2''')
|  [[1910 Australian federal election|1910]], [[1951 Australian federal election|1951]]
|-
|align=left| May  ('''7''')
|  [[1913 Australian federal election|1913]], [[1917 Australian federal election|1917]], [[1954 Australian federal election|1954]], [[1974 Australian federal election|1974]], [[2019 Australian federal election|2019]], [[2022 Australian federal election|2022]], [[2025 Australian federal election|2025]] 
|-
|align=left| June
|  None 
|-
|align=left| July  ('''2''')
|  [[1987 Australian federal election|1987]], [[2016 Australian federal election|2016]]
|-
|align=left| August  ('''2''')
|  [[1943 Australian federal election|1943]], [[2010 Australian federal election|2010]]
|-
|align=left| September  ('''5''')
|  [[1914 Australian federal election|1914]], [[1934 Australian federal election|1934]], [[1940 Australian federal election|1940]], [[1946 Australian federal election|1946]], [[2013 Australian federal election|2013]]
|-
|align=left| October  ('''6''')
|  [[1929 Australian federal election|1929]], [[1937 Australian federal election|1937]], [[1969 Australian federal election|1969]], [[1980 Australian federal election|1980]], [[1998 Australian federal election|1998]], [[2004 Australian federal election|2004]]
|-
|align=left| November  ('''7''')
| [[1925 Australian federal election|1925]], [[1928 Australian federal election|1928]], [[1958 Australian federal election|1958]], [[1963 Australian federal election|1963]], [[1966 Australian federal election|1966]], [[2001 Australian federal election|2001]], [[2007 Australian federal election|2007]]
|-
|align=left| December  ('''12''')
|  [[1903 Australian federal election|1903]], [[1906 Australian federal election|1906]], [[1919 Australian federal election|1919]], [[1922 Australian federal election|1922]], [[1931 Australian federal election|1931]], [[1949 Australian federal election|1949]], [[1955 Australian federal election|1955]], [[1961 Australian federal election|1961]], [[1972 Australian federal election|1972]], [[1975 Australian federal election|1975]], [[1977 Australian federal election|1977]], [[1984 Australian federal election|1984]]
|}

==Voting==
[[File:Ac.ballotdraw.jpg|thumb| left|The [[Australian Electoral Commission]] holding a blind ballot to determine the order of candidates on the ballot paper]]

{| class="wikitable" style="float: right;" border="1" 
|-
| colspan="3" style="font-size:100%; background:#cef; text-align:center;"|[[Spoilt vote|Informal votes]] at<br />federal elections (%)
|-
! Year !! Senate !! House
|-
| 1983 || 9.9 || 2.5
|-
| 1984 || 4.3{{decrease}} || 6.3{{increase}}
|-
| 1987 || 4.1{{decrease}} || 4.9{{decrease}}
|-
| 1990 || '''3.4'''{{decrease}} || '''3.2'''{{decrease}}
|-
| 1993 || 2.6{{decrease}} || 3.0{{decrease}}
|-
| 1996 || 3.5{{increase}} || 3.2{{increase}}
|-
| 1998 || 3.24{{decrease}} || 3.78{{increase}}
|-
| 2001 || '''3.9'''{{increase}} || '''4.8'''{{increase}}
|-
| 2004 || 3.8{{decrease}} || 5.2{{increase}}
|-
| 2007 || 2.55{{decrease}} || 3.95{{decrease}}
|-
| 2010 || '''3.75'''{{increase}} || '''5.55'''{{increase}}
|-
| 2013 || 2.96{{decrease}} || 5.91{{increase}}
|-
| 2016 || 3.94{{increase}} || 5.05{{decrease}}
|-
| 2019 || 3.8{{decrease}} || 5.5{{increase}}
|-
| 2022 || '''3.4'''{{decrease}} || '''5.1'''{{decrease}}
|-
| colspan="3" style="font-size:80%; background:#cef; text-align:center;"|Source: Australian<br />Electoral Commission<ref name="infvot">{{cite web |url=http://www.aec.gov.au/voting/informal_voting/summary.htm |title=Informality (%) House of Representatives and Senate |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |access-date=14 June 2013 |archive-date=19 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619160354/http://www.aec.gov.au/voting/Informal_Voting/summary.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="float: right;" border="1" 
|-
| colspan="3" style="font-size:100%; background:#cef; text-align:center;"|[[Voter turnout]] at<br />federal elections (%)
|-
! Year !! Senate !! House
|-
| [[1983 Australian federal election|1983]] || 94.64 || 94.64
|-
| [[1984 Australian federal election|1984]] || 94.55{{decrease}} || 94.19{{decrease}}
|-
| [[1987 Australian federal election|1987]] || 94.34{{decrease}} || 93.84{{decrease}}
|-
| [[1990 Australian federal election|1990]] || '''95.81'''{{increase}} || '''95.31'''{{increase}}
|-
| [[1993 Australian federal election|1993]] || 96.22{{increase}} || 95.75{{increase}}
|-
| [[1996 Australian federal election|1996]] || 96.20{{decrease}} || 95.77{{increase}}
|-
| [[1998 Australian federal election|1998]] || 95.34{{decrease}} || 94.99{{decrease}}
|-
| [[2001 Australian federal election|2001]] || '''95.20'''{{decrease}} || '''94.85'''{{decrease}}
|-
| [[2004 Australian federal election|2004]] || 94.82{{decrease}} || 94.32{{decrease}}
|-
| [[2007 Australian federal election|2007]] || 95.17{{increase}} || 94.76{{increase}}
|-
| [[2010 Australian federal election|2010]] || '''93.83'''{{decrease}} || '''93.22'''{{decrease}}
|-
| [[2013 Australian federal election|2013]] || 93.88{{increase}} || 93.23{{increase}}
|-
| [[2016 Australian federal election|2016]] || 91.93{{decrease}} || 91.01{{decrease}}
|-
| [[2019 Australian federal election|2019]] || 92.48{{increase}} || 91.89{{increase}}
|-
| [[2022 Australian federal election|2022]] || '''90.47'''{{decrease}} || '''89.82'''{{decrease}}
|-
| colspan="3" style="font-size:80%; background:#cef; text-align:center;"|Source: Australian<br />Electoral Commission<ref>{{cite web |access-date=4 December 2024 |archive-date=5 December 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241205023243/https://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/federal_elections/voter-turnout.htm |date=7 November 2023 |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |title=Voter turnout – previous events |url=https://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/federal_elections/voter-turnout.htm}}</ref>
|}
[[File:Polling place, Melbourne Suburbs, Vic, jjron, 02.07.2016.jpg|thumb|left|Voting at a polling booth in suburban Melbourne in the [[2016 Australian federal election|2016 Federal Election]]]]
[[File:StateLibQld 1 72579 Women inside the gate of the city polling station, voting for the first time in a Queensland state election, May 1907 (suffragette movement in Queensland).jpg|thumb|left|Women voting for the first time in the [[1907 Queensland state election]]]]

Voting in federal, state and territory elections is [[Compulsory voting|compulsory]] for all persons on the electoral roll.<ref name="edomn">{{Cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/enrolling-deadline-on-monday-night/story-e6frfku0-1225893266136 |title=Enrolling deadline on Monday night |agency=Australian Associated Press |access-date=13 June 2013 |date=17 July 2010 |work=news.com.au |archive-date=21 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150521161309/http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/enrolling-deadline-on-monday-night/story-e6frfku0-1225893266136 |url-status=live }}</ref> Voting can take place by a person attending in person at any polling place in their State on the election day or in early voting locations, or by applying for and mailing in a [[postal vote]]. Voters may apply for postal votes in perpetuity. [[Absentee ballot#Australia|Absentee voting]] is also available, but not [[proxy voting]].

At the 2007 federal election there were 7,723 polling places open for voting.<ref name="artv">{{Cite news |url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/breaking-news/australians-reminded-to-vote-tomorrow/story-e6frg13c-1111114944697 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616025626/http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/breaking-news/australians-reminded-to-vote-tomorrow/story-e6frg13c-1111114944697 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 June 2013 |title=Australians reminded to vote tomorrow |agency=Australian Associated Press |access-date=13 June 2013 |date=22 November 2007 |work=PerthNow }}</ref> In remote areas, hospitals and retirement villages, mobile polling places have been used since the 1980s.<ref name="atsod">{{cite book |title=Australia: The State of Democracy |last=Sawer |first=Marian |author2=Norman Abjorensen |author3=Philip Larkin |year=2009 |publisher=Federation Press |isbn=978-1862877252 |pages=107–114 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F09pc74M9NMC |access-date=13 June 2013 |archive-date=10 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310212059/https://books.google.com/books?id=F09pc74M9NMC |url-status=live }}</ref> The visually impaired can use electronic [[voting machine]]s.<ref name="evcta">{{Cite news |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/e-voting-comes-to-australia/ |title=E-voting comes to Australia |author=Jo Best |access-date=14 June 2013 |date=17 July 2007 |publisher=ZDNet |archive-date=14 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514050123/https://www.zdnet.com/article/e-voting-comes-to-australia/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Voting is almost entirely conducted by paper ballot. If more than one election takes place at the same time (for example, for the House of Representatives and the Senate), separate ballot papers are used, green for House and white for Senate. These are usually of different colours and are deposited into separate boxes.

Upper house polls used to require every square to be numbered, but this became a burden for voters, with some elections including over 200 squares.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} This has been simplified by the introduction of "Above the line" and "below the line" voting. Votes "above the line" allow voters to number by party/group, whereas "below the line" voting requires preferencing each candidate individually.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Australian Electoral Commission |title=Voting in the Senate |url=https://www.aec.gov.au/Voting/How_to_Vote/Voting_Senate.htm |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=Australian Electoral Commission}}</ref>

[[How-to-vote card]]s are usually handed out at polling places by party volunteers. They suggest how a party supporter might vote for other candidates or parties. Electors now routinely receive how-to-vote materials through the mail or by other means.

In practice, privacy arrangements allow [[spoilt vote|informal]] and [[protest vote]]s to take place. At the 2010 federal election more than 1.5&nbsp;million people did not vote or voted incorrectly.<ref name="puis">{{Cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-12/off-the-hustings-poll-preparations/4749806 |title=Political uncertainty is changing the preparations for the 2013 federal election |author=James Glenday |access-date=12 June 2013 |date=12 June 2013 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |archive-date=13 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613022827/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-12/off-the-hustings-poll-preparations/4749806 |url-status=live }}</ref> Academic Brian Costar from [[Swinburne University]] claims the rate of [[donkey vote]]s in Australia is around 2% of all votes, but the figure is hard to determine accurately.<ref name="dvtgt">{{Cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/donkey-votes-to-go-to-coalition-in-key-marginal-labor-seats/story-fn59niix-1225906291988 |title=Donkey votes to go to Coalition in key marginal Labor seats |author=Christian Kerr |access-date=18 May 2015 |date=17 August 2010 |newspaper=The Australian |archive-date=5 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405221005/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/donkey-votes-to-go-to-coalition-in-key-marginal-labor-seats/story-fn59niix-1225906291988 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Most polling places are schools, community halls or churches. Supporters of these places very commonly take advantage of the large number of visitors undertaking fund raising activity, often including raffles, cake stalls and sales of so-called [[democracy sausage]]s.
{{clear}}

==Parties==
{{main|List of political parties in Australia}}
[[File:Division of Riverina polling place at Sturt Public School 1.jpg|thumb|A polling place in New South Wales on [[2010 Australian federal election|election day]], 2010]]
Political parties have certain benefits in Australia's electoral system, including public funding. Political parties must register with the electoral commission in the jurisdiction in which it is proposing to field or endorse candidates. To be eligible for federal registration a party must have at least one member in the Australian Parliament or 1,500 members,<ref name="pro">{{cite web |url=http://www.aec.gov.au/parties_and_representatives/party_registration/overview.htm |title=Party registration overview |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |access-date=13 June 2013 |archive-date=6 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606043451/http://www.aec.gov.au/parties_and_representatives/party_registration/overview.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> and independent candidates are required to provide 50 signatures to be eligible to stand.<ref name="atsod"/> An unsuccessful challenge to the 500 member requirement was heard by the High Court of Australia in 2004.<ref name="atsod"/> Other Australian jurisdictions require political parties to have a minimum number of members. For example, New South Wales requires at least 750 members while the [[Australian Capital Territory|ACT]] and the [[Northern Territory]] require 100 members.<ref name="conaus"/> There are deadlines for registration of a political party.

Australia has a ''de facto'' [[two-party system]], with the [[Australian Labor Party]] and the [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]] of the [[Liberal Party of Australia]], [[National Party of Australia]], the [[Liberal National Party of Queensland|Liberal National Party]] and [[Country Liberal Party]] dominating Parliamentary elections. It is very difficult for other parties to win representation in the House, let alone form the government, though they may have a strong influence if they hold the "balance of power". However, minor parties and independent candidates have been elected to the Senate by virtue of its more favourable voting system. In recent decades, several parties besides the ALP and the Coalition have secured significant representation in the Senate, notably the [[Democratic Labor Party (Australia, 1955)|DLP]] (1955–1974); the [[Australian Democrats]] (1977–2007); and the [[Australian Greens]] and its predecessors (1990–present). Independent and other individual senators have also exercised influence, e.g., [[Brian Harradine]] (1975–2005), [[Family First Party|Family First]]'s [[Steve Fielding]] (2005–2011), and [[Nick Xenophon]] (2008–2017); and, variously from 1984, representatives of the [[Nuclear Disarmament Party]] and [[One Nation (Australia)|One Nation]].

Many voters use elections to reaffirm their party [[allegiance]].<ref name="poon"/> Party affiliation has declined in recent decades. Voters who voted for the same party each election made up 72% of the electorate in 1967. This figure had declined to 45% by 2007.<ref name="conaus">{{cite book |title=Contemporary Politics in Australia: Theories, Practices and Issues |last=Smith |first=Rodney |author2=Ariadne Vromen |author3=Ian Cook |year=2012 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0521137539 |pages=127, 145–147, 174 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=szc-c7hVoOAC |access-date=13 June 2013 |archive-date=17 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617043641/https://books.google.com/books?id=szc-c7hVoOAC |url-status=live }}</ref> Minor parties have played a greater role in the politics of Australia since proportional representation was progressively introduced.<ref name="atsod"/>

Elections in Australia are seen by parties as a chance to develop and refine policies.<ref name="poon"/> Rather than a procedure where the best policies win the day, elections are contests where parties fight for [[power (social and political)|power]]. Elections are not part of the process in which specific decisions on policy are made. Control of policy and platforms are wholly determined within the party.<ref name="poon"/>

[[Preselection|Candidate selection]], in Australia typically called preselection, is a significant factor in the democratic process in Australia because the majority of voters base their decision at election time on the party rather than the candidate. In Australia the decision of who may be a candidate is decided by the party in any manner they choose. It can range from a postal vote to the whole party membership through to a decision made by a small select committee.<ref name="conaus"/>

===Election campaigns===
[[File:Labor WA launch 2008 edited.jpg|thumb|The [[Australian Labor Party|Labor Party]] launch at the [[2008 Western Australian state election]]]]
[[File:1699730661 1b1d7843d3 b.jpg|thumb|Electioneering during the [[2007 Australian federal election]] campaign, Eastwood, New South Wales]]
{{see also|Politics of Australia}}Election campaigns typically involve a televised policy launch,<ref name="poon">{{cite book |title=Politics One |edition=2 |last=Stewart |first=Randal G. |author2=Ian Ward |year=1996 |publisher=Macmillan Education Australia |location=South Melbourne |isbn=0732931843 |pages=232, 240–241, 246–247 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sEG5fYKML-MC |access-date=13 June 2013 |archive-date=10 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610143129/https://books.google.com/books?id=sEG5fYKML-MC |url-status=live }}</ref> which, despite the name, have increasingly been held towards the end of the campaign.  In the 2013 federal election campaign, for example, the Liberal/National and Labor launches were held only 13 days and 6 days respectively prior to election day. From the 1980s onwards direct mailing was seen as a successful way to market, particularly in marginal seats.<ref name="poon"/> Major political parties in Australia use databases created from [[Australian Census|census data]], voting records and their own canvassing to shape their direct mail.<ref name="conaus"/> Quantitative surveys of samples from the wide population as well as [[focus group]]s are used by the parties for [[market research]] during election campaigns.<ref name="conaus"/>

The ''[[Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918]]'' stipulates that political advertisements display the name and address of the individual authorising them.<ref name="conaus"/> The ''Broadcasting Services Act 1922'' bans the broadcast of advertisements in the three days prior to an election.<ref name="conaus"/> A ban on broadcast election advertising was imposed under the ''Political Broadcasts and Political Disclosures Act 1991'' but was overturned by the [[High Court of Australia]] in 1992.<ref name="poon"/> Party registration rules have become stricter, especially in New South Wales.<ref name="atsod"/>

Television is the preferred medium for campaign news in Australia.<ref name="conaus"/> At the [[2004 Australian federal election|2004 federal election]] more than three-quarters of money spent on advertising was television based.<ref name="conaus"/>

Incumbent candidates and government have significant benefits compared to non-incumbents. These include substantial allowances and access to staff whose travel is covered by parliamentary allowances.<ref name="atsod"/>

The Australian Election Study coordinated by the [[Australian National University]] was introduced in 1987. The series of surveys are conducted post election and provide a unique take on political behaviour during election campaigns.<ref name="conaus"/>

==Public funding==
{{main|Political funding in Australia}}
Australia's first partial public election funding was introduced in 1981 by the then [[Premier of New South Wales]] [[Neville Wran]].<ref name="dadomd">{{Cite news|url=http://www.australiantimes.co.uk/news/news-from-australia/news-in-australia/donations-a-dilemma-of-modern-democracy.htm |title=Donations a dilemma of modern democracy |access-date=2 May 2014 |date=2 May 2014 |work=Australian Times |publisher=Blue Sky Publications |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502161248/http://www.australiantimes.co.uk/news/news-from-australia/news-in-australia/donations-a-dilemma-of-modern-democracy.htm |archive-date=2 May 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref> The Commonwealth Electoral Legislation Amendment Act 1983 brought forward by the [[Hawke government]] introduced public election funding and the requirement that all minor [[Political donations in Australia|donations]] to parties be disclosed.<ref name="poon"/> Amendments to legislation were needed due to the changing nature of election campaigns in the late 1960s and 1970s.<ref name="ppae">{{cite book |title=Political Parties and Elections: Legislating for Representative Democracy |last=Gauja |first=Anika |year=2010 |publisher=Ashgate Publishing |isbn=978-1409497271 |pages=43–44 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QLyXwDRwMYYC |access-date=13 June 2013 |archive-date=27 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427025830/https://books.google.com/books?id=QLyXwDRwMYYC |url-status=live }}</ref> Opinion polling, widespread advertising and the rise of the hired campaign professionals meant campaigning had become far more expensive than in previous decades.

Public funding is the preferred means to cover costs rather than corporate donations.<ref name="ppae"/> However, the majority of the major parties funding is still sourced from private donors. If a candidate or party receives at least 4% of the primary vote at a federal election they are eligible for public funding.<ref name="pgia">{{cite book |title=Parliamentary Government in Australia |last=Ward |first=Alan J. |year=2014 |publisher=Anthem Press |isbn=978-1783081219 |page=122 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FmvUAgAAQBAJ |access-date=5 May 2014 |archive-date=5 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505120157/https://books.google.com/books?id=FmvUAgAAQBAJ |url-status=live }}</ref> The amount of funding paid is calculated by multiplying the number of first preference votes received by the rate of payment at that time, which is indexed in line with the [[Consumer Price Index]].<ref name="elfu">{{cite web |url=http://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/public_funding/index.htm |title=Election funding |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |access-date=13 June 2013 |archive-date=19 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619071743/http://www.aec.gov.au/parties_and_representatives/public_funding/index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>  It is possible for a candidate to receive more public funding than what was spent on campaigning as was the case in [[Pauline Hanson]]'s 2004 attempt to win a seat in the Australian Senate.<ref name="lide">{{cite book |title=Limiting Democracy: The Erosion of Electoral Rights in Australia |last=Hughes |first=Colin Anfield |author2=Brian J. Costar |year=2006 |publisher=UNSW Press |isbn=0868409480 |page=62 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mZ9SJ6HmuaoC |access-date=5 May 2014 |archive-date=4 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504121826/https://books.google.com/books?id=mZ9SJ6HmuaoC |url-status=live }}</ref>

In Queensland, the threshold for public funding is 6% of the primary vote. The threshold in Victoria, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory is 4%. South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory do not have public funding for parties and candidates at elections.<ref name="atsod"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1718/Quick_Guides/ElectionFundingStates|title=Election funding and disclosure in Australian states and territories: a quick guide|access-date=15 December 2017|archive-date=16 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216091218/https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1718/Quick_Guides/ElectionFundingStates|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Caretaker convention==
{{main|Caretaker government of Australia}}

A series of conventions has evolved covering the conduct of the business of government by ministers, their departments of state, and the [[Australian Public Service|Public Service]] during the "caretaker period" of the election. This period begins after the announcement of the election date, when the [[Governor-General of Australia]] dissolves the federal parliament on advice from the Prime Minister. It ends after the election result is known and clear, when a newly elected government is sworn into office.

==Federal lower house primary, two-party and seat results==
A [[two-party system]] has existed in the [[Australian House of Representatives]] since the two non-Labor parties merged in 1909.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}} The [[1910 Australian federal election|1910 election]] was the first to elect a [[majority government]], with the [[Australian Labor Party]] concurrently winning the first [[Australian Senate|Senate]] majority. Prior to 1909 a three-party system existed in the chamber. A [[two-party-preferred vote]] (2PP) has been calculated since the 1919 change from [[first-past-the-post]] to [[Instant-runoff voting|preferential voting]] and subsequent introduction of the [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]]. ALP = Australian Labor Party, L+NP = grouping of [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]]/[[National Party of Australia|National]]/[[Liberal National Party of Queensland|LNP]]/[[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] Coalition parties (and predecessors), Oth = [[List of political parties in Australia|other parties]] and [[Independent (politics)|independents]].

{| class="toccolours" style="margin:0 auto; clear:both;" border=0 align="left"
|-
|+House of Representatives results
|-
|- style="background:#ccf;"
!colspan=2 rowspan=2|Election<br />Year
! colspan="2"|[[Australian Labor Party|Labour]]
! colspan="2"|[[Free Trade Party|Free Trade]]
![[Protectionist Party|Protectionist]]
! rowspan="2"|[[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
! colspan="2" rowspan="2"|Other<br/>parties
! rowspan="2"|Total<br/>seats
|-
| height=4 colspan=2 {{Australian party style|Labor}}|
| colspan=2 {{Australian party style|Free Trade}}|
| {{Australian party style|Protectionist}}|
|-
!width=20|[[1901 Australian federal election|1st]]
!width=40|1901
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|14
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|28
| style="text-align:center;"|31
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|&nbsp;
| style="text-align:center;"|75
|-
|- style="background:#ccf;"
!colspan=2 rowspan=2|Election<br />Year
! colspan="2"|[[Australian Labor Party|Labour]]
! colspan="2"|[[Free Trade Party|Free Trade]]
![[Protectionist Party|Protectionist]]
! rowspan="2"|[[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
! colspan="2" rowspan="2"|Other<br/>parties
! rowspan="2"|Total<br/>seats
|-
| height=4 colspan=2 {{Australian party style|Labor}}|
| colspan=2 {{Australian party style|Free Trade}}|
| {{Australian party style|Protectionist}}|
|-
![[1903 Australian federal election|2nd]]
!1903
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|23
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|25
| style="text-align:center;"|26
| style="text-align:center;"|&nbsp;
| style="width:30px; text-align:center;"|1
|[[Revenue Tariff Party (Tasmania)|Revenue Tariff]]
| style="text-align:center;"|75
|-
|- style="background:#ccf;"
!colspan=2 rowspan=2|Election<br />Year
! colspan="2"|[[Australian Labor Party|Labour]]
! colspan="2"|[[Free Trade Party|Anti-Socialist]]
![[Protectionist Party|Protectionist]]
! rowspan="2"|[[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
! colspan="2" rowspan="2"|Other<br/>parties
! rowspan="2"|Total<br/>seats
|-
| height=4 colspan=2 {{Australian party style|Labor}}|
| colspan=2 {{Australian party style|Free Trade}}|
| {{Australian party style|Protectionist}}|
|-
![[1906 Australian federal election|3rd]]
!1906
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|26
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|26
| style="text-align:center;"|21
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="width:30px; text-align:center;"|1
|[[Western Australian Party|Western Australian]]
| style="text-align:center;"|75
|- style="background:#eee;"
|}
{{Clear}}
{| class="toccolours" align="left" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin-right: .5em; margin-top: .4em;font-size: 90%;"
!
!
!
|-
!  style="background:#; text-align:center;"|
!  style="background:#; text-align:center;" colspan="3"|Primary vote
!  style="background:#; text-align:center;" colspan="2"|[[Two-party-preferred vote|2PP vote]]
!  style="background:#; text-align:center;" colspan="4"|Seats
|-
!  style="background:#; text-align:center;"|
!  style="background:#f66; text-align:center;"|ALP
!  style="background:#00bfff; text-align:center;"|L+NP
!  style="background:#ff0; text-align:center;"|Oth.
!  style="background:#f66; text-align:center;"|ALP
!  style="background:#00bfff; text-align:center;"|L+NP
!  style="background:#f66; text-align:center;"|ALP
!  style="background:#00bfff; text-align:center;"|L+NP
!  style="background:#ff0; text-align:center;"|Oth.
!  style="background:#; text-align:center;"|Total
|-
!
!
!
!
!
!
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1910 Australian federal election|13 April 1910 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|50.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|45.1%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|4.9%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|–
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|–
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|42
| align="center" bgcolor="" |31
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|2
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|75
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1913 Australian federal election|31 May 1913 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|48.5%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|48.9%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|2.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|–
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|–
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|37
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|38
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|75
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1914 Australian federal election|5 September 1914 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|50.9%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|47.2%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|1.9%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|–
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|–
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|42
| align="center" bgcolor="" |32
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|1
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|75
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1917 Australian federal election|5 May 1917 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|43.9%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|54.2%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|1.9%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|–
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|–
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|22
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|53
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|75
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1919 Australian federal election|13 December 1919 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|42.5%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|54.3%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|3.2%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|45.9%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|54.1%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|25
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|38
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|2
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|75
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1922 Australian federal election|16 December 1922 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|42.3%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|47.8%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|9.9%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|48.8%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|51.2%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|29
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|40
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|6
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|75
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1925 Australian federal election|14 November 1925 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|45.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|53.2%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|1.8%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|46.2%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|53.8%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|23
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|50
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|2
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|75
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1928 Australian federal election|17 November 1928 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|44.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|5.8%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|48.4%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|51.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|31
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|42
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|2
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|75
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1929 Australian federal election|12 October 1929 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|48.8%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|44.2%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|7.0%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|56.7%
|  style="text-align:center; bgcolor=""|43.3%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|46
| align="center" bgcolor="" |24
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|5
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|75
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1931 Australian federal election|19 December 1931 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|27.1%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|48.4%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|24.5%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|41.5%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|58.5%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|14
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|50
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|11
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|75
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1934 Australian federal election|15 September 1934 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|26.8%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|45.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|27.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|46.5%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|53.5%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|18
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|42
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|14
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|74
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1937 Australian federal election|23 October 1937 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|43.2%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.3%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|7.5%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.4%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|50.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|29
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|43
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|2
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|74
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1940 Australian federal election|21 September 1940 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|40.2%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|43.9%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|15.9%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|50.3%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.7%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|32
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|36
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|6
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|74
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1943 Australian federal election|21 August 1943 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.9%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|23.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|27.1%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|58.2%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|41.8%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|49
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|19
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|6
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|74
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1946 Australian federal election|28 September 1946 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.7%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|39.3%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|11.0%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|54.1%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|45.9%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|43
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|26
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|5
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|74
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1949 Australian federal election|10 December 1949 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|46.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|50.3%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|3.7%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.0%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|51.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|47
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|74
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|121
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1951 Australian federal election|28 April 1951 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|47.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|50.3%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|2.1%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.3%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|50.7%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|52
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|69
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|121
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1954 Australian federal election|29 May 1954 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|50.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|46.8%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|3.2%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|50.7%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.3%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|57
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|64
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|121
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1955 Australian federal election|10 December 1955 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|44.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|47.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|7.8%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|45.8%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|54.2%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|47
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|75
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|122
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1958 Australian federal election|22 November 1958 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|42.8%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|46.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|10.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|45.9%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|54.1%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|45
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|77
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|122
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1961 Australian federal election|9 December 1961 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|47.9%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|42.1%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|10.0%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|50.5%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.5%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|60
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|62
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|122
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1963 Australian federal election|30 November 1963 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|45.5%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|46.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|8.5%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|47.4%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|52.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|50
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|72
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|122
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1966 Australian federal election|26 November 1966 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|40.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|50.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|10.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|43.1%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|56.9%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|41
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|82
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|1
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|124
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1969 Australian federal election|25 October 1969 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|47.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|43.3%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|9.7%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|50.2%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.8%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|59
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|66
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|125
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1972 Australian federal election|2 December 1972 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|41.5%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|8.9%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|52.7%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|47.3%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|67
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|58
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|125
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1974 Australian federal election|18 May 1974 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.3%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|44.9%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|5.8%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|51.7%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|48.3%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|66
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|61
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|127
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1975 Australian federal election|13 December 1975 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|42.8%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|53.1%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|4.1%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|44.3%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|55.7%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|36
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|91
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|127
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1977 Australian federal election|10 December 1977 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|39.7%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|48.1%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|12.2%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|45.4%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|54.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|38
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|86
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|124
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1980 Australian federal election|18 October 1980 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|45.2%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|46.3%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|8.5%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.6%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|50.4%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|51
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|74
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|125
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1983 Australian federal election|5 March 1983 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.5%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|43.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|6.9%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|53.2%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|46.8%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|75
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|50
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|125
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1984 Australian federal election|1 December 1984 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|47.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|45.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|7.4%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|51.8%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|48.2%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|82
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|66
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|148
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1987 Australian federal election|11 July 1987 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|45.8%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|46.1%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|8.1%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|50.8%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.2%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|86
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|62
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|0
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|148
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1990 Australian federal election|24 March 1990 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|39.4%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|43.5%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|17.1%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.9%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|50.1%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|78
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|69
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|1
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|148
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1993 Australian federal election|13 March 1993 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|44.9%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|44.3%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|10.7%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|51.4%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|48.6%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|80
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|65
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|2
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|147
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1996 Australian federal election|2 March 1996 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|38.7%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|47.3%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|14.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|46.4%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|53.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|94
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|5
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|148
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[1998 Australian federal election|3 October 1998 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|40.1%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|39.5%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|20.4%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|51.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|67
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|80
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|1
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|148
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[2001 Australian federal election|10 November 2001 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|37.8%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|43.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|19.2%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.0%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|51.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|65
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|82
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|3
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|150
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[2004 Australian federal election|9 October 2004 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|37.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|46.7%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|15.7%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|47.3%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|52.7%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|60
|  style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|87
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|3
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|150
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[2007 Australian federal election|24 November 2007 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|43.4%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|42.1%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|14.5%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|52.7%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|47.3%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|83
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|65
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|2
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|150
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[2010 Australian federal election|21 August 2010 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|38.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|43.3%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|18.7%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|50.1%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|49.9%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|72
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|72
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|6
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|150
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[2013 Australian federal election|7 September 2013 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|33.4%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|45.6%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|21.0%
|  style="text-align:center; bgcolor=""|46.5%
| style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|53.5%
|  style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|55
| style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|90
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|5
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|150
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[2016 Australian federal election|2 July 2016 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|34.7%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|42.0%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|23.3%
|  style="text-align:center; bgcolor=""|49.6%
| style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|50.4%
|  style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|69
| style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|76
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|5
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|150
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[2019 Australian federal election|18 May 2019 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|33.3%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|41.4%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|25.3%
|  style="text-align:center; bgcolor=""|48.5%
| style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|51.5%
|  style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|68
| style="text-align:center; background:#00bfff;"|77
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|6
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|151
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[2022 Australian federal election|21 May 2022 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|32.58%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|35.70%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|31.72%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|52.13%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|47.87%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|77
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|58
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|16
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|151
|-
! style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|[[2025 Australian federal election|3 May 2025 election]]
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|34.56%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|31.82%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|33.62%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|55.28%
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|44.72%
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f66;"|94
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|43
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|13
| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor=""|150
|}
{{-}}
[[File:Australian Elections.png|thumb|800px|left|Electoral results in all elections to the [[Australian House of Representatives]]. <br />
{{legend2|{{party color|Australian Labor Party}}|[[Australian Labor Party]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|[[Liberal Party of Australia]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|[[Australian Country Party (1920)|National Party of Australia]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|{{party color|Nationalist Party of Australia}}|[[Nationalist Party of Australia]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}<br />
{{legend2|{{party color|United Australia Party}}|[[United Australia Party]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|{{party color|Commonwealth Liberal}}|[[Commonwealth Liberal Party]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|#E2725B|[[Lang Labor]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|{{party color|Free Trade Party}}|[[Free Trade Party]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|{{party color|Protectionist Party}}|[[Protectionist Party]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|{{party color|Independent (politician)}}|[[Independent (politician)|Independent]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|#1261FF|[[Liberal National Party of Queensland]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|#777777|[[List of political parties in Australia|Others]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}]]
{{-}}

==Landslide election records==
{{expand section|date=May 2025|small=no|with=federal election records}}
'''State and territory elections:'''
* [[2021 Western Australian state election]] – [[Mark McGowan]] led the [[Australian Labor Party (Western Australian Branch)|Labor Party]] to win 53 out of the 59 seats in the lower house. The Labor Party had a primary vote of 59.92% and a two-party-preferred vote of 69.68%. The [[National Party of Australia (WA)|National Party]] won 4 seats and the [[Liberal Party of Australia (Western Australian Division)|Liberal Party]] won 2 seats, making the National Party the official opposition, the first time they had held this status since the 1940s. 

To date, the election is the most decisive result at any Australian state or federal election since Federation, in terms of both percentage of lower house seats controlled by the governing party (89.8%) and two-party preferred margin.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|date=2021-03-12|title=Biggest State Election Landslides|url=https://armariuminterreta.site/2021/03/12/biggest-state-election-landslides/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-07|website=Armarium Interreta|language=en-AU|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210312132526/https://armariuminterreta.site/2021/03/12/biggest-state-election-landslides |archive-date=12 March 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/state/wa/2021/03/14/west-australian-election-labor-landslide/|title=Mark McGowan claims WA election victory as Liberals all but wiped out|date=14 March 2021|work=The New Daily}}</ref>
[[File:2021_Western_Australian_state_election_-_Simple_Results.svg|thumb|Map displaying [[Australian Labor Party (Western Australian Branch)|Labor]]'s landslide victory at the [[2021 Western Australian state election]]. Seats won by Labor are in red, seats won by the [[Liberal Party of Australia (Western Australian Division)|Liberals]] are in blue and seats won by the [[National Party of Australia (WA)|Nationals]] are in green.]]
* [[2011 New South Wales state election]] – [[Barry O'Farrell]] led the [[Liberal–National Coalition]] to a landslide victory defeating the incumbent Labor Party Premier, [[Kristina Keneally]] with 64.22% of the two-party-preferred vote. The incoming government received 69 of the 93 seats in the [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly]]. The Labor Party by contrast lost more than half of their seat total.
* [[1978 New South Wales state election]] – [[Neville Wran]] led the [[New South Wales Labor Party|Labor Party]] to a landslide victory with a primary vote of 57.77%. the largest primary vote for any party in a century.

==Perennial candidates records==
* [[William McCristal]] was one of the most prolific unsuccessful candidates for political office in Australian history. He contested the [[1917 Australian federal election|1917]], [[1919 Australian federal election|1919]], [[1943 Australian federal election|1943]] ,[[1949 Australian federal election|1949]], [[1951 Australian federal election|1951]], [[1954 Australian federal election|1954]], [[1955 Australian federal election|1955]] and [[1958 Australian federal election|1958]] federal elections and the [[1907 New South Wales state election|1907]], [[1910 New South Wales state election|1910 ]], [[1922 New South Wales state election|1922]], [[1925 New South Wales state election|1925]], [[1944 New South Wales state election|1944]], [[1947 New South Wales state election|1947]], [[1950 New South Wales state election|1950]], [[1953 New South Wales state election|1953]], [[1956 New South Wales state election|1956]] and [[1962 New South Wales state election|1962]] state elections, as well as a 1954 by-election.
* Ben Buckley, a farmer, has unsuccessfully [[Electoral results for the Division of Gippsland|contested Gippsland]] in the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] on 11 occasions. He first contested the seat in [[1984 Australian federal election|1984]], and has contested every election since [[2001 Australian federal election|2001]]. An [[Independent (politician)|independent]] on six occasions, Buckley ran as a [[One Nation (Australia)|One Nation]] candidate in [[2004 Australian federal election|2004]], and has run as a [[Liberal Democratic Party (Australia)|Liberal Democrat]] in the past four elections ([[2008 Gippsland by-election|2008]], [[2010 Australian federal election|2010]], [[2013 Australian federal election|2013]], and [[2016 Australian federal election|2016]]). His best result came in 2010 when he polled 5.52% of the vote.
* [[Anthony Fels]] has, {{as of|2022|lc=on}}, contested eight state elections in Western Australia and six federal elections. He was successful on one occasion, winning a seat in the [[Western Australian Legislative Council]] in 2005. He first ran for parliament in 1996 and was a member of the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]] until 2008. His later bids for office have included candidacies and with [[Family First Party|Family First]] (2008), [[Katter's Australian Party]] (2013), the [[Mutual Party]] (2014), the [[Non-Custodial Parents Party]] (2017), the [[United Australia Party (2013)|United Australia Party]] (2019), and the [[Western Australia Party]] (2022), in addition to several runs as an independent (2010, 2013, 2017, 2021).
* [[Pauline Hanson]], founder and leader of One Nation, a right-wing populist political party, had unsuccessfully contested state and federal elections before being elected in the 2016 federal election. SHe ran in the [[2001 Australian federal election|2001]], [[2004 Australian federal election|2004]], [[2007 Australian federal election|2007]] for the federal Senate Queensland. She ran in the [[2003 New South Wales state election|2003]] and [[2011 New South Wales state election|2011]] for the NSW state Legislative Council, and [[2009 Queensland state election|2009]] and [[2015 Queensland state election|2015]] for QLD State election.
* [[Teresa van Lieshout]], a resident of [[Perth]], has unsuccessfully contested seven state and federal elections standing for various constituencies in [[Western Australia]]. She has stood for the [[Parliament of Western Australia]] as a [[One Nation (Australia)|One Nation]] candidate at the [[2005 Western Australian state election|2005 election]], and as an independent at the [[2006 Victoria Park state by-election|2006 Victoria Park by-election]], [[2013 Western Australian state election|2013 state election]], and [[2014 Vasse state by-election|2014 Vasse by-election]]. For [[Parliament of Australia|Federal Parliament]], she ran as an independent at the [[2004 Australian federal election|2004 election]] and [[Australian Senate special election in Western Australia, 2014|2014 special senate election]], and as a [[Australian Protectionist Party|Protectionist]] candidate at the [[2013 Australian federal election|2013 election]].<ref>[[Antony Green]] (2014). [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/wa/2014/vasse/ 2014 Vasse By-Election] – ABC News. Retrieved August 8, 2015.</ref> In August 2015, she announced she would be contested the eighth election, the [[2015 Canning by-election]].<ref>(August 3, 2015).[https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/29168808/voulez-vous-vote-for-me-van-lieshout/ Voulez-vous vote for me: van Lieshout]{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} – Yahoo!7 News. Retrieved August 8, 2015.</ref> Van Lieshout stood for the Senate in NSW in the 2016 federal election, and as an independent in the 2018 Batman by-election.
* [[Jim Saleam]], a veteran anti-immigration activist and president of the [[Australia First Party]], has contested seven times in state and federal elections.
* [[Shirley de la Hunty]] (née Strickland), a multiple Olympic gold medallist in athletics, unsuccessfully contested six state elections in [[Western Australia]] and seven federal elections. Her candidacies spanned from 1971 to 1996 and included runs for the lower and upper houses at both state and federal levels. She stood a number of times for the [[Australian Democrats]], while the rest of her runs were made as an [[Independent politician|independent candidate]].
* Charles Bellchambers contested the [[Division of Barton]] six times between 1966 and 1987, usually polling a negligible proportion of the vote.
* [[Alex Bhathal]], a social worker, unsuccessfully stood for the Greens in the [[Division of Batman]] six times between 2001 and 2018, increasing the Greens' percentage of the vote from 4.60% in 1998 to 39.49% in 2018 (she did not stand in 2007).
* [[Craig Garland]], a Tasmanian fisherman, contested the seat of Braddon, on both the [[Division of Braddon (state)|state]] and [[Division of Braddon|federal]] level, as an Independent a combined total of four times from 2018 to 2022, including the seat's [[2018 Braddon by-election|2018 federal by-election]], as well as running for the [[Australian Senate|Senate]] in [[2019 Australian federal election|2019]] where he polled [[2019 Australian Senate election#Tasmania|just over 1% of the vote]]. He was successfully elected to the [[Tasmanian House of Assembly]] during the state's [[2024 Tasmanian state election|2024 snap election]] with [[Results of the 2024 Tasmanian state election#Braddon|just over 5% of the vote]], which represented his sixth attempt at candidacy.
* [[Riccardo Bosi]], leader of the unregistered Australia One party, ran in [[2019 Australian federal election|2019]], [[2020 Eden-Monaro by-election]] and [[2022 Australian federal election|2022]] federal elections, and for [[2020 Queensland state election]] and [[2023 New South Wales state election]].

==Further reading==
{{Library resources box|by=no|onlinebooks=no|about=yes|wikititle=elections in Australia}}
<!--Please keep these to an ascending alphabetical order-->
* {{cite web |url=https://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/25/theme1-voting-history.htm |access-date=5 December 2024 |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |archive-date=4 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204235113/https://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/25/theme1-voting-history.htm |title=Australian voting history in action |date=31 July 2024 |url-status=live}}
* {{cite web |url=http://elections.uwa.edu.au/ |access-date=16 November 2018 |title=Australian Politics and Elections Archive 1856–2018 |work=The [[University of Western Australia]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927120516/https://elections.uwa.edu.au/ |archive-date=27 September 2023 |url-status=dead}}
* {{cite web |url=http://pandora.nla.gov.au/subject/6 |archive-date=5 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241205001028/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/subject/6 |url-status=live |access-date=18 July 2005 |title=Collections |work=Election Campaigns |via=[[National Library of Australia|pandora.nla.gov.au]]}}
* {{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|coaca430|Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act}}
* {{cite web |url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/ |access-date=1 January 2005 |archive-date=5 December 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241205001314/http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/ |work=Adam Carr's Election Archive |title=Federal election results 1901 to 2022}}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/resource/download/guidance-caretaker-conventions-2021.pdf |title=Guidance on Caretaker Conventions |date=December 2021 |url-status=live |archive-date=5 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241205000342/https://www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/resource/download/guidance-caretaker-conventions-2021.pdf |work=[[Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia)]] |access-date=18 June 2007}}
* {{cite web |url=https://elections.nsw.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do/history-of-voting-in-nsw |access-date=5 December 2024 |archive-date=5 December 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241205002145/https://elections.nsw.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do/history-of-voting-in-nsw |date=6 March 2024 |title=History of voting in NSW |work=NSW Electoral Commission}}
* {{cite web |url=http://aes.anu.edu.au/ |access-date=13 June 2013 |archive-date=5 December 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241205001613/https://australianelectionstudy.org/ |year=2023 |title=The Australian Electoral Study}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Australia|Politics}}
*[[List of Australian federal elections]]
*[[List of Australian federal by-elections]]
*[[Proportional Representation Society of Australia]]
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Australian elections|state=expanded}}
{{Oceania topic|Elections in}}
{{Australian topics}}

[[Category:Elections in Australia| ]]