How does the government decide how many voters should be in each electorate?

In Plain English

The government, through the Electoral Commissioner and Redistribution Committees, decides how many voters should be in each electorate by following a process outlined in the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918. Here's a simplified breakdown:

1. Determining the Number of Representatives: First, the Electoral Commissioner figures out how many members each state and territory gets in the House of Representatives. This is based on population numbers.
2. Calculating the Quota: For each state undergoing redistribution, a "redistribution quota" is calculated. This is done by dividing the number of enrolled voters in the state by the number of House of Representatives members the state is entitled to.
3. Redistribution Committee's Role: A Redistribution Committee then proposes new electoral boundaries. Their goal is to ensure that each electorate within the state has roughly the same number of voters.
4. Enrolment Deviation Limits: The committee tries to keep the number of voters in each electorate within a certain range (plus or minus 3.5%) of a projected enrolment quota at a determined projection time. There's also a rule that the number of electors in each proposed electoral division must not deviate by more than 10 per cent above or below the current enrolment quota.
5. Considering Community Interests: Besides voter numbers, the committee also considers things like community interests (economic, social, regional), how easy it is to travel within the electorate, the physical features of the area, and existing electorate boundaries.
6. Public Input: The public can suggest changes to the boundaries, and comment on other people's suggestions.
7. Final Decision: After considering all factors and public input, a final decision is made on the electorate boundaries.

Detailed Explanation

The determination of the number of voters in each electorate is a multi-stage process governed by the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918. Here's a more detailed explanation:

1. Initial Determination of Representatives:
   • Section 48 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 mandates the Electoral Commissioner to determine the number of members of the House of Representatives for each State and Territory based on population figures ascertained under section 46.
2. Redistribution Trigger and Quota:
   • Section 59 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 dictates when a redistribution is required. This can be triggered by factors such as a change in the number of members a state is entitled to or significant population shifts.
   • Section 65 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 outlines the determination of the "redistribution quota." This quota is calculated by dividing the number of electors enrolled in the State by the number of members of the House of Representatives to be chosen in that State. The result is rounded to the nearest whole number.
3. Redistribution Committee and Proposed Redistribution:
   • Section 60 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 details the establishment of a Redistribution Committee.
   • Section 66 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 tasks the Redistribution Committee with making a proposed redistribution, aiming for an equal number of electors in each division.
   • The Redistribution Committee must try to ensure that the number of electors enrolled in each Electoral Division would not, at the projection time determined under section 63A, be less than 96.5% or more than 103.5% of the average divisional enrolment of that State at that time
4. Factors Considered by the Redistribution Committee:
   • As per section 66 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, the Redistribution Committee must give due consideration to:
     • Community of interests (economic, social, and regional)
     • Means of communication and travel
     • Physical features and area
     • Existing Division boundaries
5. Public Participation:
   • Section 64 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 allows for public suggestions and comments regarding the redistribution. This ensures community input into the process.
6. Gazettal and Publication:
   • The Electoral Commissioner publishes notices and statements in the Gazette, as required by sections 58 and 64 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, ensuring transparency.