Editing Australian Senate (section)

==Electoral system==
{{see also|Electoral system of Australia}} 
The system for electing senators has changed several times since [[Federation of Australia|Federation]]. The original arrangement involved a [[first-past-the-post voting|first-past-the-post]] and [[Plurality-at-large voting|block voting]] system, on a state-by-state basis. This was replaced in 1919 by [[preferential block voting]]. Block voting tended to produce [[Landslide victory|landslide]] majorities. For instance, from 1920 to 1923 the [[Nationalist Party (Australia)|Nationalist Party]] held all but one of the 36 seats, and from 1947 to 1950, the [[Australian Labor Party]] held all but three.

In 1948, [[single transferable vote]] with [[proportional representation]] on a state-by-state basis became the method for electing senators. At this time the number of senators was expanded from 36 to 60 and it was argued that a move to proportional representation was needed to even up the balance between both major parties in the chamber. The change in voting systems has been described as an "institutional revolution" that has had the effect of limiting the government's ability to control the chamber, as well as helping the rise of Australian minor parties.<ref>{{cite book | author1 = Sawer, Marian | author2 = Miskin, Sarah | name-list-style = amp | title = Papers on Parliament No. 34 Representation and Institutional Change: 50 Years of Proportional Representation in the Senate | publisher = Department of the Senate | year = 1999 | url = https://www.aph.gov.au/binaries/senate/pubs/pops/pop34/pop34.pdf | isbn = 0-642-71061-9 | access-date = 21 September 2020 | archive-date = 3 October 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201003050519/https://www.aph.gov.au/binaries/senate/pubs/pops/pop34/pop34.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name = "electing" />

The [[1984 Australian federal election|1984 election]] saw the introduction of [[group voting tickets in Australia|group ticket voting]], in order to reduce a high rate of informal voting that arose from the requirement that each candidate be given a preference, and to allow small parties and independent candidates a reasonable chance of winning a seat. This allowed voters to select a single party to distribute their preferences on their behalf (voting "above the line"), but voters were still able to vote directly for individual candidates and distribute their own preferences if they wished (voting "below the line") by numbering every box.<ref name="Antony Green">{{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-23/the-origin-of-senate-group-ticket-voting-and-it-didnt-come-from-/9388658 |title=The Origin of Senate Group Ticket Voting, and it didn't come from the Major Parties |author=[[Antony Green]] |date=23 September 2015 |publisher=ABC |access-date=20 March 2016 |archive-date=24 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224224830/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-23/the-origin-of-senate-group-ticket-voting-and-it-didnt-come-from-/9388658 |url-status=live }}</ref> Following 1981, [[Australian Government|the government]] has only had a majority in the Senate from 2005–2007; otherwise, negotiations with other parties and independents have generally been necessary to pass legislation.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Williams|first1=George|last2=Brennan|first2=Sean|last3=Lynch|first3=Andrew|title=Blackshield and Williams Australian constitutional law and theory : commentary and materials|date=2014|publisher=Federation Press|location=Annandale, NSW|isbn=9781862879188|page=415|edition=6th}}</ref>

Group tickets were abolished in advance of the [[2016 Australian federal election|2016 election]] to reduce the number of senators elected with a very small number of first preference votes as a result of the candidates of these micro-parties preferencing each other.<ref name="ABC">{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-26/aec-advertising-campaign-on-way-senators-are-elected/7356308|title=Senate voting changes explained in AEC advertisements|date=26 April 2016|website=abc.net.au|access-date=9 August 2018|archive-date=6 May 2016|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20160506235022/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/158025/20160507-0003/www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-26/aec-advertising-campaign-on-way-senators-are-elected/7356308.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In the place of group tickets, a form of [[optional preferential voting]] was introduced. As a result of the changes, voters may now assign their preferences for parties above the line (numbering as many boxes as they wish), or individual candidates below the line, and are not required to fill all of the boxes. Both above and below the line voting now use optional preferential voting. For above the line, voters are instructed to number at least their first six preferences; however, a "savings provision" is in place to ensure that ballots will still be counted if less than six are given. For below the line, voters are required to number at least their first 12 preferences. Voters are free to continue numbering as many preferences as they like beyond the minimum number specified. Another savings provision allows ballot papers with at least 6 below the line preferences to be formal. The voting changes make it more difficult for new small parties and independent candidates to be elected to the Senate, but also allow a voter to voluntarily exhaust preferences — that is, to ensure their vote cannot flow to specific candidates or parties — if none of the voter's candidate preferences are elected.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://theconversation.com/explainer-how-does-preferential-voting-work-in-the-senate-116347 |title=Explainer: how does preferential voting work in the Senate? |author=Stephen Morey |date=2 May 2019 |publisher=The Conversation |access-date=27 November 2019}}</ref>

The changes were subject to a challenge in front of [[High Court of Australia]] by sitting South Australian Senator [[Bob Day]] of the [[Family First Party]]. The senator argued that the changes meant the senators would not be "directly chosen by the people" as required by the constitution. The High Court rejected Day's challenge unanimously, deciding that both above the line and below the line voting were consistent with the constitution.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/may/13/high-court-rejects-bob-day-appeal-and-finds-senate-voting-changes-are-legal |title=High court rejects Bob Day appeal and finds Senate voting changes are legal |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=13 May 2016}}</ref><ref name=2016DAY>''Day v Australian Electoral Officer for the State of South Australia'' {{Cite AustLII|HCA|20|2016}}</ref>

===Ballot paper===
The Australian Senate voting paper under the single transferable vote proportional representation system resembles the following example (shown in two parts), which shows the candidates for [[Victoria (Australia)|Victorian]] senate representation in the [[2016 Australian federal election|2016 federal election]].

[[File:Victorian-senate-paper-folded-01.png|640x640px|thumb|center|Senate ballot paper used in Victoria for 2016]]

To vote correctly, electors must either:
* Vote for at least six parties above the thick black line, by writing the numbers 1–6 in party boxes. Votes with fewer than six boxes numbered are still admitted to the count through savings provisions.
* Vote for at least twelve candidates below the thick black line, by writing the numbers 1–12 in the individual candidates' boxes. Votes with between six and twelve boxes numbered are still admitted to the count through savings provisions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aec.gov.au/Voting/How_to_Vote/Voting_Senate.htm |title=Voting in the Senate |date=4 January 2019 |publisher=[[Australian Electoral Commission]] |access-date=27 November 2019 |archive-date=27 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227041513/https://aec.gov.au/Voting/How_to_Vote/Voting_Senate.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Because each state elects six senators at each half-Senate election, the quota for election is only one-seventh or 14.3% (one third or 33.3% for territories, where only two senators are elected). Once a candidate has been elected with votes reaching the quota amount, any votes they receive in addition to this may be distributed to other candidates as preferences, if there are still open seats to fill.

With an odd number of seats in a half-Senate election (3 or 5), 50.1% of the vote wins a majority (2/3) or (3/5).

With an even number of seats in a half-Senate election (6), 57.1% of the vote is needed to win a majority of seats (4/6).

The ungrouped candidates in the far right column do not have a box above the line. Therefore, they can only get a primary (number 1) vote from electors who vote below the line.  For this reason, some independents register as a group, either with other independents or by themselves, such as group B in the above example.

Names of parties can be shown only if the parties are registered, which requires, among other things, a minimum of 1,500 members.

=== Order of parties ===
The order of parties on the ballot papers and the order of ungrouped candidates are determined by a random ballot conducted by the [[Australian Electoral Commission]].

=== Deposit ===
Candidates, parties and groups pay a deposit of $2,000 per candidate, which is forfeited if they fail to achieve 4% of the primary vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/candidates/ |title=Candidate information |date=17 October 2019 |publisher=[[Australian Electoral Commission]] |access-date=27 November 2019 |archive-date=19 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619202357/https://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/candidates/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Public subsidy ===
Candidates, parties and groups earn a public subsidy if they gain at least 4% of the primary vote.  At the 2019 federal election, funding was $2.756 per formal first preference vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/public_funding/index.htm |title=Election funding |date=11 June 2019 |publisher=[[Australian Electoral Commission]] |access-date=27 November 2019 |archive-date=16 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016054034/https://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/public_funding/index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>