Universal suffrage in Australia

Australia is a federal state. On joining federation the states ceded certain powers to the federal government but retained other powers for themselves. As a result, suffrage was granted at different times by Australian states and the federal government.

The following definitions are used in the table below:

Universal Male Suffrage: Men of the majority or predominant ethnic group are permitted one secret vote in free elections irrespective of possession of land, wealth, education levels or literacy levels where the minimum age is no higher than 21.

Universal Female Suffrage: Women are permitted to vote on the same basis as men.

It is universally accepted within psephology that some citizens may be deprived of suffrage while a jurisdiction can still be considered to have Universal Suffrage. Examples of citizens so deprived include military officers, citizens who are non-resident, citizens serving a term of imprisonment and citizens with serious criminal records.

Jurisdiction	Universal Male Suffrage	Universal Female Suffrage	Difference (years)	Notes
Australia	1901	1902	1	During the 1901 (inaugural) federal election state electoral laws applied as no federal electoral laws had yet been enacted. Women were eligible to vote federally if they were eligible to vote in their home state elections. As a result women in South Australia and Western Australia voted in the 1901 election while women in other states did not.
New South Wales	1858	1902	44
Queensland	1872	1905	33
South Australia	1855	1895	40
Tasmania	1896	1903	7
Victoria	1857	1908	51
Western Australia	1893	1899	6

See Also

• Suffrage
• Universal suffrage
• Universal suffrage in Canada
• Universal suffrage in the United States