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Chapter 4 - Elections
for the Senate
Determining the successful candidates
The essential features of the Senate
system of election are as follows:
- Step
1. To secure election, candidates must secure a quota of votes. The quota is
determined by dividing the total number of formal first preference votes in the
count by one more than the number of senators to be elected for the state or
territory and increasing the result by one.
- Step
2. Should a candidate gain an exact quota, the candidate is declared elected
and those ballot papers are set aside as finally dealt with, as there are no
surplus votes.
- Step
3. For each candidate elected with a surplus, commencing with the candidate
elected first, a transfer value is calculated for all the candidate’s ballot
papers. All those ballot papers are then re-examined and the number showing a
next available preference for each of the continuing candidates is determined.
Each of these numbers, ignoring any fractional remainders, is added to the
continuing candidates’ respective progressive totals of votes. Surplus votes are transferred at less
than their full value. The transfer value is calculated by dividing the
successful candidate’s total surplus by the total number of the candidate’s
ballot papers.
- Step
4. Under certain circumstances the transfer of a surplus may be deferred until
after an exclusion or bulk exclusion (see Step 6).
- Step
5. Where a transfer of ballot papers raises the numbers of votes obtained by a
candidate up to a quota, the candidate is declared elected. No more ballot
papers are transferred to that elected candidate at any succeeding count.
- Step
6. When all surpluses have been distributed and vacancies remain to be filled,
and the number of continuing candidates exceeds the number of unfilled
vacancies, exclusion of candidates with the lowest numbers of votes commences.
Bulk exclusions are proceeded with if possible; otherwise exclusions of single
candidates take place. Excluded
candidates’ votes are transferred at full value in accordance with their next
preferences to the remaining candidates.
- Step
7. Step 6 is continued, as necessary, until either all vacancies are filled or
the number of candidates in the count is equal to the number of vacancies
remaining to be filled. In the latter case, the remaining candidates are
declared elected.
In counting votes in a Senate election, if only two candidates remain
for the last vacancy to be filled and they have an equal number of votes, the
Australian Electoral Officer for the state or territory has a casting vote, but
does not otherwise vote in the election.
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