New Upper House
Voter representation in the Upper House
New electoral regions
New system of voting
Frequently asked questions
More information
Changes to Victoria’s Upper House (Legislative Council) to take effect at the November 2006 State election are the biggest in its 150-year history. The changes will affect the way Victorians are represented, the way they vote and the way votes are counted.
Under the old system, there were 22 smaller electorates of two members each. They had rotating terms, with half of the members elected at each State election.
Under the old system, there were 22 electoral provinces of two members each. Each province had approximately 150,000 electors.
View maps of the new regions or visit the Electoral Boundary Commission (EBC) website (external link) to read the report submitted by the EBC to Parliament.
Under the old system, the voting system was preferential, the same system as for the Lower House (Legislative Assembly).
For the Upper House, there are now two ways to vote. You can vote above the line or below the line.
Example of a Legislative Council election ballot paper
If you vote above the line, place a "1" in the box above the party or group you want to support. Your preferences will be decided by the party or group you select.
If you vote below the black line, you must place a "1" in the box next to your preferred candidate and then number at least four other boxes in the order of your preference (i.e. 2, 3, 4 and 5). You may also number further boxes below the line if you wish, in the order of your preference.
The new Upper House ballot paper also shows the locality of each candidate standing for election.
If you want to vote above the line, the VEC strongly recommends that you check the "group voting tickets." A group of candidates standing for election to the Upper House can register up to three group voting tickets with the VEC. A group voting ticket allocates preferences to all candidates on the ballot paper.
Group voting tickets are available on this website two days after the close of nominations. A hard copy booklet of group voting tickets is also available to view at voting centres.
View a slideshow illustrating the proportional representation count method or read more about the steps involved in a proportional representation count.
high-resolution version (PDF, 1774 KB)
low-resolution version (PDF, 705 KB)
Files are in PDF format. You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF files. If you would like a printed copy, contact the VEC.
New electoral regions
New system of voting
Frequently asked questions
More information
Changes to Victoria’s Upper House (Legislative Council) to take effect at the November 2006 State election are the biggest in its 150-year history. The changes will affect the way Victorians are represented, the way they vote and the way votes are counted.
Voter representation in the Upper House
Under the new system, voters are represented by 40 members. All members are elected at each State election. Eight new and much larger electoral regions comprise five members each. As a result, voters may have a wider choice of candidates to choose from.Under the old system, there were 22 smaller electorates of two members each. They had rotating terms, with half of the members elected at each State election.
New electoral regions
Under the new system, Victoria is divided into eight electoral regions of five members each. Each region is made up of eleven electoral districts of approximately 420,000 electors.Under the old system, there were 22 electoral provinces of two members each. Each province had approximately 150,000 electors.
View maps of the new regions or visit the Electoral Boundary Commission (EBC) website (external link) to read the report submitted by the EBC to Parliament.
New voting system
Under the new system, votes for the Upper House (Legislative Council) are counted using proportional representation. It is similar to the Federal Senate voting system.Under the old system, the voting system was preferential, the same system as for the Lower House (Legislative Assembly).
For the Upper House, there are now two ways to vote. You can vote above the line or below the line.
Example of a Legislative Council election ballot paper
If you vote above the line, place a "1" in the box above the party or group you want to support. Your preferences will be decided by the party or group you select.
If you vote below the black line, you must place a "1" in the box next to your preferred candidate and then number at least four other boxes in the order of your preference (i.e. 2, 3, 4 and 5). You may also number further boxes below the line if you wish, in the order of your preference.
The new Upper House ballot paper also shows the locality of each candidate standing for election.
Frequently asked questions
Why change the Upper House?
A Constitution Commission was established to review the structure of the Upper House in 2001. It recommended the new structure about to be introduced. Parliament passed legislation in 2003 to change the size and structure of the Upper House accordingly.How were the boundaries for the Upper House decided?
The Constitution (Parliamentary Reform) Act 2003 required the Electoral Boundaries Commission (EBC) (external link) to conduct a redivision of Victoria between 1 January and 30 November 2005, establishing eight new electoral regions. The EBC went through a public consultation process to determine the new Upper House boundaries.How are my preferences distributed if I vote above the line?
Voters’ preferences are vital in deciding the result of the election. If you select a party or group using the group ticket voting square (above-the-line voting), your vote will be allocated according to the full list of preferences lodged by that party or group.If you want to vote above the line, the VEC strongly recommends that you check the "group voting tickets." A group of candidates standing for election to the Upper House can register up to three group voting tickets with the VEC. A group voting ticket allocates preferences to all candidates on the ballot paper.
Group voting tickets are available on this website two days after the close of nominations. A hard copy booklet of group voting tickets is also available to view at voting centres.
How many boxes do I need to number if I vote below the line?
Voting below the line in the State election is different to voting below the line for the Federal Senate election, where you have to number every box. In the State Upper House election, you only need to number at least 5 boxes. You can then go on to number as many more as you wish, after having numbered your top five preferences.How are votes counted under proportional representation?
Candidates must win a specific proportion (or quota) of the electorate's votes to be elected. With five candidates to be elected for an Upper House (Legislative Council) region, the quota is 1/6 of the votes plus 1. These votes can either be first-preference votes for the candidate, or preferences transferred from other candidates.View a slideshow illustrating the proportional representation count method or read more about the steps involved in a proportional representation count.
More information
Download an information leaflet on the new Upper House:high-resolution version (PDF, 1774 KB)
low-resolution version (PDF, 705 KB)
Files are in PDF format. You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF files. If you would like a printed copy, contact the VEC.