About voting - State elections
State elections are held every fourth year on the last Saturday in November. The elections are independently conducted by the VEC. The next State election will be held on Saturday, 27 November 2010.
The Parliament of Victoria is divided into eighty-eight Legislative Assembly (or Lower House) districts and eight Legislative Council (or Upper House) regions.
Is it compulsory to vote?
Who am I electing?
Who are my members of Parliament?
Why is voting important?
What is the role of political parties?
What is the role of independents?
What is the timeline for a State election?
How do I vote in State elections?
How are votes counted?
There are 40 members of the Legislative Council (Upper House) (external link). Members of the Legislative Council are elected from 8 multi-member electorates called regions. Each region has five members and is made up of eleven electoral districts totalling approximately 420,000 electors. Members for each region are elected to serve for a term of four years. This structure was introduced at the 2006 State election. Read more about the new Upper House.
Political parties can register with the VEC under Victorian electoral law. Registration has benefits for parties.
For the Legislative Assembly (Lower House), place a 1 in the box next to your preferred candidate, and then number all of the remaining boxes in the order of your preference.
Example of a Legislative Assembly election ballot paper
For the Legislative Council (Upper House), you can vote above or below the black line.
Example of a Legislative Council election ballot paper
If you vote above the line, place a 1 in the box above the party or group you want to support. Your preferences will be decided by the party or group for you.
If you vote below the black line, you must place a 1 in the box next to your preferred candidate and then number at least four other boxes in the order of your preference (i.e. 2, 3, 4 and 5). You may also number as many more boxes below the line as you wish in the order of your preference.
Is it compulsory to vote?
Who am I electing?
Who are my members of Parliament?
Why is voting important?
What is the role of political parties?
What is the role of independents?
What is the timeline for a State election?
How do I vote in State elections?
How are votes counted?
Is it compulsory to vote?
Yes. If you are enrolled to vote, then you must vote in a State election. If you fail to vote without an adequate reason, you may be fined.Who am I electing?
From the next State election, you will elect one person to represent you in the Legislative Assembly (Lower House) and five people to represent you in the Legislative Council (Upper House).Who are my members of Parliament?
There are 88 members of the Legislative Assembly (Lower House) (external link). Members of the Legislative Assembly are elected from 88 single-member electorates called districts. Members are elected to serve a term of four years. Each district has approximately 38,000 electors.There are 40 members of the Legislative Council (Upper House) (external link). Members of the Legislative Council are elected from 8 multi-member electorates called regions. Each region has five members and is made up of eleven electoral districts totalling approximately 420,000 electors. Members for each region are elected to serve for a term of four years. This structure was introduced at the 2006 State election. Read more about the new Upper House.
Why is voting important?
The State parliamentarians you elect are responsible for areas that include:- the environment;
- hospitals and health services;
- drugs and crime prevention;
- education and training;
- family and community development;
- transport and road safety; and
- rural and regional service development.
What is the role of political parties?
Political parties play an important part in the State election process. They nominate candidates, campaign during the election period, and issue how-to-vote cards on election day. The political party or coalition of parties that has the largest number of members in the Legislative Assembly usually forms the Government.Political parties can register with the VEC under Victorian electoral law. Registration has benefits for parties.
What is the role of independents?
Independents (candidates not endorsed by a political party) can also nominate for Parliament. If elected, independent members of Parliament have much the same representative and parliamentary functions as other members.What is the timeline for a State election?
| Number of days | Event |
|---|---|
| Commencement 25 days before the election day (minimum) |
Expiry of the Lower House The term of the Legislative Assembly expires. The Governor issues the writ for the election. Issue of writ The issue of writs starts the election process. An electoral writ is a document commanding the Victorian Electoral Commission to hold an election and contains dates for the close of rolls, the close of nominations, election day and the return of the writs. Two writs are issued, one for the election of all the members of the Legislative Assembly (Lower House) and one for the Legislative Council (Upper House). Opening of nominations The electoral writs must be issued before candidates can lodge a nomination for election. |
| 7 days after writ | Close of rolls People have until 8.00 pm, seven days after the writ is issued, to enrol or to update their enrolment. |
| 10 days after writ | Close of nominations The deadline for nominations by candidates is 12 noon, ten days after the issue of the writ. |
| 15 days after close of nominations | Election day Election day is the day most voters to cast their vote. It must be the last Saturday in November, at least 25 days after the issue of the writ. |
| Up to 21 days after election day | Return of writs After the results are declared for all Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly seats, the Victorian Electoral Commission returns the writs endorsed with the names of the successful candidates to the Governor. |
How do I vote in State elections?
Most people vote at voting centres on election day. Alternative ways of voting are also available for people who can't get to a voting centre on election day.For the Legislative Assembly (Lower House), place a 1 in the box next to your preferred candidate, and then number all of the remaining boxes in the order of your preference.
Example of a Legislative Assembly election ballot paper
For the Legislative Council (Upper House), you can vote above or below the black line.
Example of a Legislative Council election ballot paper
If you vote above the line, place a 1 in the box above the party or group you want to support. Your preferences will be decided by the party or group for you.
If you vote below the black line, you must place a 1 in the box next to your preferred candidate and then number at least four other boxes in the order of your preference (i.e. 2, 3, 4 and 5). You may also number as many more boxes below the line as you wish in the order of your preference.
How are votes counted?
Votes for the Legislative Assembly (Lower House) are counted using the full preferential system. Votes for the Legislative Council (Upper House) are counted using the proportional representation system.