COMMONWEALTH FRANCHISE.

No. 8 of 1902.

An Act to provide for an Uniform Federal Franchise.

[Assented to 12th June, 1902.]

BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia as follows :—

Short title.

1. This Act may be cited as the Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902, and shall be incorporated and read as one with the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1902.

Application of Act.

2. This Act shall not affect any election of a new member to fill any vacancy occurring in the House of Representatives during the continuance of the present House of Representatives.

Persons entitled to vote.

3. Subject to the disqualifications hereafter set out, all persons not under twenty-one years of age whether male or female married or unmarried—

(a) Who have lived in Australia for six months continuously, and

(b) Who are natural born or naturalized subjects of the King, and

(c) Whose names are on the Electoral Roll for any Electoral Division,

shall be entitled to vote at the election of Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Disqualifications.

See sec. 44 sub-sec. ii. of the Constitution.

4. No person who is of unsound mind and no 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 of any part of the King’s dominions by imprisonment for one year or longer, shall be entitled to vote at any election of Members of the Senate or the House of Representatives.

Disqualification of coloured races.

No aboriginal native of Australia Asia Africa or the Islands of the Pacific except New Zealand shall be entitled to have his name placed on an Electoral Roll unless so entitled under section forty-one of the Constitution.

One adult one vote.

See s. 30 of the Constitution.

5. No person shall be entitled to vote more than once at the same election.