Victorian State and local council elections use versions of the preferential voting system. This involves numbering candidates in the order of your preference.
When you are required to number every candidate in order of your preference, the system in use is full preferential voting. Full preferential voting is used in most elections in Victoria.
In some cases you may not need to number every box on the ballot paper This is called optional preferential voting and it is used for the Upper House at State elections.
Once voting is finished, one of two counting systems is used to determine the results:
At a State election the system used is determined by the rules of the election. The
preferential counting system is used for the Legislative Assembly (Lower House), and the
proportional counting system is used for the Legislative Council (Upper House).
The counting system used for local council elections is determined by the number of vacancies:
Wards with multiple Councillors and unsubdivided municipalities use the proportional counting system.
Single Councillor wards are counted using the preferential counting system.
When an elected representative resigns or is otherwise unable to complete their term, an appropriate method of selecting a person to replace them must be used. To learn about the various methods and when they are applied please see our countbacks, by-elections and appointments page.
A recount is a re-examination and count of all formal and informal ballot papers. They are typically only ordered when the result is extremely close.
Recounts can only occur before the declaration of the result. At State elections, both the Election Manager and the Electoral Commissioner can order a recount. At a local council election only the returning officer can order a recount.
Candidates can request a recount, but the decision to accept that request is at the discretion of the Election Manager (State elections) or returning officer (local council elections).
During the recount, any disputed ballot papers can be set aside for a final decision by the Electoral Commissioner (State elections) or the returning officer (local council elections).
A recount is quite different from a recheck.
A formal vote is a correctly completed ballot paper that has been submitted. It is the formal votes that are counted to determine the result.
An informal vote is a ballot paper that has been submitted, but which cannot be accepted according to the legislation governing the particular election. Informal votes are sometimes also known as invalid votes.
Informal votes are not included in the election count.
Common causes of informality include:
- Using ticks or crosses where the voter is required to number preferences;
- Failing to number the required number of boxes; or
- Incorrectly numbering preferences (such as missing or repeating preference numbers).
At the 2006 State election 4.56% of votes cast were informal.
Whenever you are casting your vote in an election, always follow the instructions on the ballot paper to ensure your vote is formal and can be counted.
If the number of candidates is the same as the number of positions, those candidates are elected without electors needing to vote. This is called being elected unopposed.
If nobody nominates for an election it is called a failed election. No voting takes place and another election is held as soon as possible.
If there are less candidates than the number of positions to be filled, it is still called a failed election. No voting takes place and the candidates are elected unopposed. A by-election must be held for the remaining positions as soon as possible.
