GLOSSARY

absolute majority

In a House of Representatives election, a successful candidate must receive more than half the formal votes to be elected in a division (50 per cent plus one vote). This is called an absolute majority.

Act

The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918.

Assistant Returning Officer (ARO)

The officer-in-charge of each polling place is officially called the Presiding Officer during polling (8 am to 6 pm) but during the scrutiny (after 6 pm) is called the Assistant Returning Officer.

Australian Electoral Commission (AEC)

The independent statutory authority established in 1984 to maintain and update the Commonwealth electoral roll and conduct federal elections and referendums.

Australian Electoral Officer (AEO)

The AEC’s chief manager in each state and the Northern Territory. An AEO for the Australian Capital Territory is only appointed for each election period. The AEO is the returning officer for the Senate in their state or territory.

certified list of voters

The official electoral roll used on election day to mark off electors’ names. Polling officials place a mark against an elector’s name when the elector is issued with ballot papers at a polling place to indicate that the elector has voted.

close of rolls period

The period between 8 pm on the day of the issue of the writ and 8 pm three working days later.

Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918

The legislation governing the Commonwealth electoral process. Referred to as ‘the Act’ in this handbook.

counting centre

Any site at which a scrutiny or counting of ballot papers is to be, or is being, conducted.

declaration vote

A vote that is sealed in an envelope signed by the voter. These votes are cast when the voter’s name cannot be found on the certified list; the voter’s name is marked off the certified list as already having voted; the voter is registered as a silent elector; or the voter casts an absent, early or postal vote.

declaration vote issuing officers

Polling officials who process declaration vote envelopes, issue votes to absent and provisional electors, complete relevant returns, package and label materials at the close of the poll on election day and assist with the count of ballot papers after the close of poll.

Divisional Returning Officer (DRO)

The AEC officer responsible for conducting the election in each division. The DROs are the returning officers for the House of Representatives in their divisions.

divisions (electorates)

Australia is divided into voting areas, which are known as divisions or electorates. One member is elected from each division to the House of Representatives.

early vote

A vote cast at an early voting centre or an AEC divisional office in the lead-up to election day. They are cast by electors who will not be able to get to a polling place in their state or territory on election day.

early vote certificate

A declaration vote envelope used for early voting.

Electoral and Referendum Regulations 1940

Regulations that support the operation of the Act.

Electoral Commissioner

The officer who performs the functions of the chief executive officer of the AEC.

electoral visitor

A polling official who is part of a mobile polling team.

electronic roll

An electronic list of eligible people who are registered to vote in Australian elections.

exhausted vote

Ballot papers that show no further valid preference for any candidate and must, therefore, be set aside from the count. They only exist in a Senate below-the-line count.

fresh scrutiny

A recheck of votes cast conducted by the DRO in the days following election day.

gazetted hospital

A hospital or institution (such as a nursing home) attended by electoral visitors who take the votes of patients and residents.

how-to-vote cards

Cards handed out to voters by party officials at polling places on election day showing how a party or candidate would like voters to fill in their ballot papers.

informal

A ballot paper is generally considered informal if it is not filled out correctly in accordance with the Act and the instructions on the ballot paper. It cannot therefore be included in the scrutiny.

inquiry officers

Polling officials who attend to the needs of electors waiting in the queue, assist electors who require help in casting a vote and assist with the count of ballot papers after the close of poll.

issuing officers

Polling officials who issue ordinary ballot papers to electors whose names are found on the certified list of voters, mark the certified list, complete the account of ballot papers and assist with the count of ballot papers after the close of poll.

issuing point

The part of the polling place where ballot papers are issued to electors.

mobile polling team

A team of polling officials who bring the polling to the elector. They visit electors in some hospitals and nursing homes, prisons, remand centres and remote locations to enable them to vote.

National Tally Room

Provides a central point for the display of results on election night. The NTR is one of Australia’s largest media gatherings, with representation from the radio, print and television media.

officer-in-charge

The officer who is in charge at a polling place. They are called Presiding Officers during polling (8 am to 6 pm). From 6 pm, during the scrutiny, they are called the Assistant Returning Officer.

ordinary vote

A vote recorded by an elector on election day at a polling place within the division for which they are enrolled. This is the simplest way to vote and the method used by the majority of electors.

penalty unit

Defined in section 4AA of the Crimes Act 1914 (one penalty unit currently = $110).

polling official

There are two categories of polling officials engaged for federal elections—those who are required to work in the period immediately before election day to assist with mobile and early voting and those who are required to work in a polling place on election day only. The DRO determines the hours of duty of mobile and early voting. Polling officials employed on election day are advised of the hours of duty when an offer of employment is made. Duty can commence as early as 7.00 am and staff are required to remain on duty after 6.00 pm until all work at the polling place is completed.

polling place

Places set up in each division to take the votes of local people. At the 2004 election there were 7,729 ordinary polling places.

postal and early votes

Electors who for various reasons cannot attend a polling place in the state or territory for which they are enrolled on election day can apply in writing for a postal vote. They will then be sent their ballot papers, which must be posted back before the close of polling. Alternatively, early votes can be cast in person at an early voting centre or at any AEC office in the lead-up to election day.

postal vote certificate

The AEC uses this term to describe the declaration vote envelope specific to postal voting on which the elector declares their entitlement to vote.

preference mark

The mark—a tick , a cross or the number —made by an elector to indicate a first preference when voting above-the-line in the Senate.

preferential voting (full)

A system of voting in which the voter completes the ballot paper by putting the number in the box next to the candidate who is their first choice, the number in the box next to their second choice, and so on until every box is numbered consecutively.

proportional representation

The term that describes a group of electoral systems used to elect candidates in multi-member electorates. In such systems parties, groups and independent candidates are elected to the parliament in proportion to their support in the electorate.

quota

To be elected to the Senate, a candidate needs to gain a quota, which is a specified number of votes. The quota is determined by dividing the total number of formal ballot papers by one more than the number of Senators to be elected, and adding one to the result, ignoring any remainder.

referendum

A proposal to alter the Constitution put to the vote. The Constitution can only be altered by a majority of electors in a majority of states passing the proposed amendment.

Regulations

Electoral and Referendum Regulations 1940.

roll

The list of voters eligible to vote at an election.

scrutineer appointment form

A form candidates use to appoint a scrutineer. It must be signed by the candidate and provide the scrutineer’s details.

scrutineers

People appointed by candidates to be their representatives at polling places, or at any place at which the scrutiny of votes is being conducted. Scrutineers have the right to be present when the ballot boxes are sealed and opened, during the poll, and when the votes are sorted and counted so that they may check any possible irregularities, but they may not touch any ballot paper.

scrutiny

The counting of votes, which leads to the election result.

silent elector

An elector who has applied to have their address not appear on the roll for reasons of personal safety or safety of their family members.

special hospital

An institution that is deemed to be a polling place only during the conduct of mobile polling.

surplus votes

The number of votes in excess of the quota required to be elected in Senate elections.

ticket vote

An above-the-line vote.

transfer value

A fractional number between 0 and 1, which is calculated and applied as part of the Senate voting system.

two-candidate-preferred count

These figures show where preferences have been distributed to the likely final two candidates in a House of Representatives election. In most cases, but not all, these will be from the two major sides of politics—the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and the Liberal and National Party Coalition.

two-party-preferred count

These figures indicate results where preferences have been distributed to the major sides of politics—the ALP and the Coalition. In most cases the two-candidate-preferred and two-party-preferred are the same because the final two candidates are ALP and Coalition. In an electorate held by an independent or a minor party, the counts will differ.

Virtual Tally Room (VTR)

A website election results system, which provides election information and results in a user-friendly format.

writ

A writ is a document in the Queen’s name and under the seal of the Crown, a court or an officer of the Crown, commanding the person to whom it is addressed to do or stop doing some act. In an election context, it is a document which commands an electoral officer to hold an election and contains dates for the close of rolls, the close of nominations, the day of the election and the return of the writ. The issue of the writ triggers the electoral process.