Chapter 4 - Elections
for the Senate
Issue of writs
Writs for the election of senators are issued by the state governor (Constitution, s.
12). The practice is for the governors of the states (when the elections are
concurrent) to fix times and polling places identical with those for the
elections for the House of Representatives, the writs for which are issued by
the Governor-General.
In practice, the Prime Minister informs the Governor-General of the requirements
of section 12 of the Constitution, which provides that writs for the election
of senators are issued by the state governors, observes that it would be
desirable that the states should adopt the polling date proposed by the
Commonwealth, and requests the Governor-General to invite the state governors
to adopt a suggested date. Theoretically, a state could fix some date for the
Senate poll other than that suggested by the Commonwealth, provided it is a
Saturday. Different states, too, could fix different Saturdays for a Senate
poll.
This power vested in the states to issue writs for Senate elections,
fixing the date of polling, gives expression to the state basis of
representation in the Senate.
The Constitution provides that, in the case of a dissolution of the
Senate, writs are issued within ten days from the proclamation of the
dissolution (s. 12).
The
Governor-General issues the writs for elections of territory senators.
Previous Page | Contents | Next Page
Website feedback: web.senate@aph.gov.au
Last reviewed 2 February 2010 by the Senate Web Administrator
© Commonwealth of Australia
Parliament of Australia Web Site Privacy Statement
Images courtesy of AUSPIC
|
