Is it possible to waste your vote? And other questions about Australia's preferential voting system
Voting below the line is a powerful tool every Australian has at their fingertips come the May 3 election.
Archie Milligan
April 04, 2025
Australia’s preferential voting system means — if you vote below the line — the full weight of your vote matters even if your first preference (#1) doesn’t win.
The preferential model allows voters to send candidates and parties a message about what’s important to them. It’s a system that can represent what people actually want, for better or worse.
Countries like the UK and Canada have “one person, one vote” systems, but our elections regularly have electorates switching between parties — or being claimed by Independent candidates — partly because of the preferential system.
Reporter at the National Account, Archie Milligan, explains more in the video below:
