Universal suffrage in Australia
Revision as of 14:05, 18 July 2020 by Robert Brockway (talk | contribs)
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 to vote 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.
| Jurisdiction | Universal Male Suffrage | Universal Female Suffrage | Difference (years) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 1901 | 1902 | 1 | During the 1901 (inaugural) federal election women were eligible to vote 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. |
| 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 |