Eumundi Voice - Issue 104, 17 October 2024

On this day

100 years of compulsory voting

As we prepare to vote at the Qld Election on 26 October, we will be part of a 100yo history of compulsory voting in Australia.

Compulsory voting was introduced for federal elections in Australia in 1924 following amendments to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 but did not apply to Indigenous Australians until 1984. Today, Australia is one of just over 20 countries to have compulsory voting.

Advocacy for compulsory voting had been underway since the last decades of the 19th century. Qld introduced it for its state elections in 1915 but excluded Indigenous Australians. Victoria followed in 1926, New South Wales and Tasmania in 1928, Western Australia in 1936 (excluding Indigenous Australians) and South Australia in 1942. Fifty years ago in 1974, the compulsory voting age was lowered nationally to 18yo.

Australia in 1942. Fifty years ago in 1974, the compulsory voting age was lowered nationally to 18yo.

With all this history, Australia has one of the highest electoral turnout rates in the world. According to a 1997 paper by Malcolm Mackerras and Ian McAllister, polls taken over the years in Australia have consistently shown community support for compulsory voting at around 6070%. In 2005, polls undertaken by Roy Morgan Research and Ipsos-Mackay found support at 71 and 74% respectively.