• Part 1 - Our Centenary of Women's Suffrage
• Part 2 - Your vote is your voice
• Part 3 - Women's one day of power
• Part 4 - Dr Maloney vs Sir McEacharn
• Part 5 - The Electoral Process

Our Centenary of Women’s Suffrage

• Previous: The Electoral Process
• Next: Overview

Who was eligible to vote?

While the Commonwealth Franchise Act did not discriminate on the basis of marital status or property ownership, it did discriminate on other grounds.

The Commonwealth Franchise Act disqualified those of ‘unsound mind’ or any person ‘attainted of treason, or who has been convicted and is under sentence or subject to be sentenced for any offence punishable under the law’. Reflecting the dominant thought of the times, the Commonwealth Franchise Act also disqualified ‘coloured races’ which encompassed not only Australian Indigenous men and women, but any person native to ‘Asia, Africa or the Islands of the Pacific except New Zealand’ unless entitled under Section 41 of the Constitution. Australian Indigenous men were already entitled to vote in New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria, and were thus formally entitled to vote in Federal elections under Section 41. Indigenous people were not fully enfranchised until 1962, when the Commonwealth Franchise Act was amended.

A notable disqualification in State legislation occurred in Queensland, which introduced adult suffrage in 1905. In 1907, wifebeaters were disenfranchised, as were drunkards – incentives introduced in order to encourage a high turnout of women at the poll. Wifebeaters and drunks were subsequently re-enfranchised in 1915 by a Labour government.

Did you know?

• The 1903 election was held on a Wednesday. While the Electoral Act specified the hours in which polling booths would open and details about postal voting, elections were not held on a Saturday until 1911.
• In 1903 it was not compulsory to vote. Voting was not compulsory until 1924. It became compulsory to enrol to vote in 1911.
• Australia was one of only a few democratic societies to regard voting as an obligation. Voting was framed as a duty of citizenship which was monitored through the construction of electoral rolls. Australia was also distinctive in its separate tabulation of men and women’s enrolments and voting frequencies.

This material was originally produced in 2003 by the Office for the Status of Women in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

 

• Previous: The Electoral Process
• Next: Overview

[ top ]