Commonwealth Electoral Act 1973

No. 7 of 1973

AN ACT

To lower to Eighteen Years the Age Qualification for Enrolment, Voting and Candidature for Parliamentary Elections.

[Assented to 16 March 1973]

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives of Australia, as follows:—

Short title and citation.

1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1973.

(2) The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918–1966 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

(3) The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918–1973.

Commencement.

2. This Act shall come into operation on a date to be fixed by Proclamation.

Persons entitled to enrolment and to vote.

3. Section 39 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting from subsection (1) the words “twenty-one years” and substituting the words “eighteen years”.

Unenrolled members of Defence Force serving outside Australia.

4. Section 39a of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting from paragraph (a) of sub-section (1) the words “twenty-one years” and substituting the words “eighteen years”; and

(b) by omitting sub-sections (3) and (4).

Lists of deaths and marriages to be forwarded.

5. Section 49 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting the words “twenty-one years” (wherever occurring) and substituting the words “eighteen years”.

Qualifications of members of House of Representatives.

6. Section 69 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting from paragraph (a) of sub-section (1) the words “twenty-one years” and substituting the words “eighteen years”.

Questions to be put to voter.

7. Section 115 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting from sub-paragraph (iv) of paragraph (b) of sub-section (1) the words “twenty-one years” and substituting the words “eighteen years”.

Transitional provision.

8. Where, on the date of commencement of this Act or within the period of three months commencing on that date, a person becomes entitled to enrolment by virtue of the amendment made by section 3, sub-section (2) of section 42 of the Principal Act has effect as if that person had become entitled to enrolment on the day next following the expiration of that period or on the day on which he attains the age of twenty-one years, whichever is the earlier.