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 |