Are we voting for the Prime Minister?
Your vote elects your local representative, but also helps shape the government and Prime Minister — so it's crucial to consider candidates and party policies!
Technically, no! But in an indirect way, kind of.
"So, who exactly am I voting for?"
When you vote to elect someone to the House of Representatives (Lower House), and you number your preferred candidates, you are putting in your preference for who you would like to be your elected representative. This person could be a member of a political party, like the Labor Party, the Liberal Party, the Greens, or the Nationals. Or they may be an independent candidate.
The person elected to represent you will gain a seat in the House of Reps and become your Member of Parliament.
"What happens next?"
Let’s say you vote for a Labor Party candidate and they win, that person will contribute 1 seat (of the 76 required federal seats) for the Labor Party to form a majority government. In this example, if the Labor Party then get the other 75 required seats, they will successfully form a majority government.
The Leader of the party who successfully forms a majority government will then become the Prime Minister.
"So if I’m voting for a candidate who is a member of a political party, I’m voting for that party’s Leader to be Prime Minister?"
We hate to be picky with words, but technically, you’re only ever voting for who gets elected to represent you in your electorate. That’s all your vote determines in a direct sense.
Practically and indirectly though, electing a member of a political party is supporting that party to form government, and doing this supports that party’s Leader to become Prime Minister.
One possibility worth mentioning is that you may vote for a member of a political party, but their Leader may lose their seat and not get re-elected. The party then has to find themselves a new Leader. Awkward. So whether the party you vote for forms government or not, the Leader you like may not be the Leader you get.
This is why it’s always important to look at the policies of the candidate’s party (or if they are an independent – their individual policies) when deciding who to vote for. Whether you’re voting for an independent or a party member, policies give us voters the best insight into how they want the future to look, what legislation they want to pass, and what we can expect them to stand for if elected.
It’s a big job, and it’s exactly why Build A Ballot is here to help!
(For those of you wanting a deeper dive beyond the policies, if a candidate has been elected before we encourage you to take a look at their parliamentary voting record. Sometimes what politicians say they care about doesn’t actually align with how they vote on important issues)
"What if I want to vote for the Greens? They seem unlikely to form a majority government right now."
You’re right. The Greens are a good example, as they currently have four seats in the federal House of Reps, so it’s unlikely the Greens will form a majority government at the next election.
However depending on how the numbers fall, smaller parties and independents can be crucial in forming a minority government, and doing so means they can significantly shape policy and legislation going forward.
"What’s a minority government?"
It’s where no single party gets enough seats to form a majority government (that’s 76 seats in the federal House of Reps). When no one has a majority, the party with the most seats will try to find other parties or elected representatives, like the Greens or independents, with whom they can work together to make up those 76 seats and form a minority government.
The Leader of the party with the most seats in this arrangement will take the role of Prime Minister, but the forming of a minority government means that party and the Prime Minister must actively collaborate and work with the other parties or independents they’ve formed government with. We have a deep dive here if you want to learn more!
"Sounds messy. Wouldn’t that be a bit dysfunctional politically?"
Actually, lots of really productive and great things can happen with minority governments! One notable example is the ACT Government, which has had a Labor-Greens government for a number of years now.
Much has been achieved by them working together, especially when it comes to the climate, with the ACT being powered by 100% renewable energy and having a net zero target of 2045. So minority governments can be very productive!
