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Difficulty: Very hardVoting in Referendums

If a referendum is held to propose two separate and distinct changes to the Australian Constitution at the same time, what are the legal requirements and the correct marking procedure for an enrolled Australian citizen to record a formal vote?

  1. The voter is legally required to participate and must write the word 'Yes' or 'No' in full in the box provided for each individual proposed change.Answer
  2. B
    The citizen may choose to vote on only the proposal they understand best, as the compulsory requirement is satisfied by attending the polling place regardless of whether the ballot is marked.
  3. C
    The voter must rank the two proposed changes by placing the number '1' in their preferred box and the number '2' in the other to indicate which change should be prioritized.

Answer

The voter must participate because it is compulsory and must write 'Yes' or 'No' for each proposed change on the ballot paper.
In the Australian system, every enrolled citizen has a legal duty to vote in a referendum. When multiple questions are asked, the voter must provide a clear 'Yes' or 'No' for each. This distinguishes the process from general elections where numerical ranking is used to choose between multiple candidates.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the legal obligation for an enrolled citizen during a referendum.
Voting is compulsory for all Australian citizens aged 18 or over who are on the electoral roll, even if the referendum is not held on the same day as an election.
Australian law requires participation in the democratic process for constitutional changes.
2
Identify the requirement when multiple proposals are presented simultaneously.
The voter must address each individual question on the ballot paper.
Each constitutional change is a separate legal proposal that requires its own mandate from the people.
3
Apply the specific marking instructions for a referendum ballot.
The voter must write 'Yes' if they support the change or 'No' if they do not.
Referendums use a direct approval/disapproval system rather than the preferential numbering system used in general elections.
4
Verify the 'formality' of the vote to ensure it is counted.
The words must be written clearly in the boxes provided to avoid an 'informal' (invalid) vote.
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) requires clear intent; symbols like ticks, crosses, or numbers can lead to ambiguity and disqualification of the vote.

Key Concept

Compulsory Participation and Specific Marking in Referendums

Hints

1
Consider whether the obligation to vote changes just because there are multiple questions on one ballot paper.
2
Think about the difference between electing a person (preferential) and approving a specific sentence in the Constitution.
3
Remember that the Australian Electoral Commission requires voters to use specific words—not numbers or symbols—to indicate their choice in a referendum.

Practice More

Review the 'Double Majority' requirement to understand how these individual 'Yes' and 'No' votes are calculated to determine if the Constitution actually changes.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Voting in Referendums

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