Auspol Explained

Auspol Explained

How to Vote in Victorian State Elections

Oct 19, 2026 · 9 min · 5 segments

How does voting work in Victoria? Here's an explainer all about how to fill in your ballots correctly. I won't be telling you who to vote for or analysing policy, that's up to you as a voter to decide…

How does voting work in Victoria? Here's an explainer all about how to fill in your ballots correctly. I won't be telling you who to vote for or analysing policy, that's up to you as a voter to decide for yourself. Instead, this episode explains why there are two ballot papers, how the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council of Victoria are different, when voting happens, how to fill in your ballot correctly, and what you shouldn't do. Have fun, and enjoy democracy, Victoria! Make sure you're enrolled to vote and your details are up to date so you can have your voice heard. Learn more about Victorian state and local elections, including early voting options, at the Victorian Electoral Commission website: https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/ Here's my longer explainer of how preferential voting works: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3cEFXUNwMc0E22jChjDMNv?si=6zaCWBWeS8uvN-4VJI6SPA Support the channel on patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/AuspolExplained Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/auspolexplained.bsky.social Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auspolexplained/ Like Auspol Explained on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Auspol-Explained-107892180702388 Auspol Explained would like to acknowledge the Whadjuk Nyoongar people and their Elders as the owners and custodians of the Land that the episode was recorded and edited on. This Land was stolen and never ceded. It always was and always will be Aboriginal Land. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:19 Why you get two ballots 1:53 Voting for the Legislative Assembly 3:37 Voting for the Legislative Council 5:05 Above the line 6:06 Below the line 7:27 Outro

How does voting work in Victoria? Here's an explainer all about how to fill in your ballots correctly. I won't be telling you who to vote for or analysing policy, that's up to you as a voter to decide…

Voting for the Legislative Assembly1:21 – 3:36

DavidHost

1:21

How does voting work? If you're voting on the day, you'll rock up to a voting centre.

DavidHost

1:27

They're often at public areas like schools, community centres, halls, etc.

DavidHost

1:31

And you'll be given two ballots.

DavidHost

1:33

This is because there are two chambers in the Victorian Parliament.

DavidHost

1:37

The Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council.

DavidHost

1:41

How filling out the ballots works is slightly different between them.

DavidHost

1:45

The instructions will be written on the ballot, but I'll explain what they mean here so you can be prepared in advance.

DavidHost

1:53

Let's start with the Legislative Assembly.

DavidHost

1:57

The Legislative Assembly is the lower house.

DavidHost

2:00

That's where the government is formed by the party or coalition with a majority.

DavidHost

2:05

There are 88 electorates, meaning that the state is divided into 88 different areas with similar amounts of people in each.

DavidHost

2:13

You are voting to choose the one person who represents your electorate in the Legislative Assembly.

DavidHost

2:20

To figure out what electorate you live in and who the candidates are running in that area, you guessed it, you visit the Victorian Electoral Commission website, vec.vic.gov.au.

DavidHost

2:31

The Legislative Assembly ballot will have a list of candidates with a box next to each name.

DavidHost

2:37

You vote by numbering the boxes 1, 2, 3, etc.

DavidHost

2:40

in the order of your choosing, and you number all of them.

DavidHost

2:45

These numbers are your preferences.

DavidHost

2:48

Basically, put 1 for the person you most prefer to win, and if that person doesn't win, who would you prefer your vote go to instead? Mark that person 2.

DavidHost

2:59

Repeat until you've filled in every box, in whatever order you like.

DavidHost

3:04

If you leave some of the boxes empty then your vote will be informal and not counted.

DavidHost

3:09

The candidate that gets more than half the votes is the winner.

DavidHost

3:13

This is determined by first counting all the first preferences and if no one has a majority of votes then the least popular candidate is eliminated and the preferences on those ballots are distributed to the remaining candidates.

DavidHost

3:27

This repeats until a winner is found.

DavidHost

3:30

If you want a deeper explanation about how preferential voting works, I have another episode about that.

DavidHost

3:35

Link is in the description.

Voting for the Legislative Assembly1:21 – 3:36

DavidHost

1:21

How does voting work? If you're voting on the day, you'll rock up to a voting centre.

DavidHost

1:27

They're often at public areas like schools, community centres, halls, etc.

DavidHost

1:31

And you'll be given two ballots.

DavidHost

1:33

This is because there are two chambers in the Victorian Parliament.

DavidHost

1:37

The Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council.

DavidHost

1:41

How filling out the ballots works is slightly different between them.

DavidHost

1:45

The instructions will be written on the ballot, but I'll explain what they mean here so you can be prepared in advance.

DavidHost

1:53

Let's start with the Legislative Assembly.

DavidHost

1:57

The Legislative Assembly is the lower house.

DavidHost

2:00

That's where the government is formed by the party or coalition with a majority.

DavidHost

2:05

There are 88 electorates, meaning that the state is divided into 88 different areas with similar amounts of people in each.

DavidHost

2:13

You are voting to choose the one person who represents your electorate in the Legislative Assembly.

DavidHost

2:20

To figure out what electorate you live in and who the candidates are running in that area, you guessed it, you visit the Victorian Electoral Commission website, vec.vic.gov.au.

DavidHost

2:31

The Legislative Assembly ballot will have a list of candidates with a box next to each name.

DavidHost

2:37

You vote by numbering the boxes 1, 2, 3, etc.

DavidHost

2:40

in the order of your choosing, and you number all of them.

DavidHost

2:45

These numbers are your preferences.

DavidHost

2:48

Basically, put 1 for the person you most prefer to win, and if that person doesn't win, who would you prefer your vote go to instead? Mark that person 2.

DavidHost

2:59

Repeat until you've filled in every box, in whatever order you like.

DavidHost

3:04

If you leave some of the boxes empty then your vote will be informal and not counted.

DavidHost

3:09

The candidate that gets more than half the votes is the winner.

DavidHost

3:13

This is determined by first counting all the first preferences and if no one has a majority of votes then the least popular candidate is eliminated and the preferences on those ballots are distributed to the remaining candidates.

DavidHost

3:27

This repeats until a winner is found.

DavidHost

3:30

If you want a deeper explanation about how preferential voting works, I have another episode about that.

DavidHost

3:35

Link is in the description.