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How Systems Work

Your Vote, Your Voice: How Citizens Shape Government

Ages 12–16 25 min read Intermediate

In a democracy, your most fundamental power is your vote. But voting effectively requires more than just showing up — it requires understanding the candidates, the issues, and the system.

Voting Matters More Than You Think

The 2022 federal election was decided by teal independents winning previously "safe" seats. Some margins were as small as a few hundred votes. In local council elections, margins can be as small as single digits. Your vote genuinely matters.

How to Be an Informed Voter

1. Know the Candidates

Before election day, research candidates in your electorate. Visit their websites. Read their policy positions. Attend candidate forums if possible.

2. Understand the Policies

Don't just rely on party slogans. Read the actual policy documents. Non-partisan organisations like the Parliamentary Library and media outlets publish policy comparisons.

3. Check the How-to-Vote Card

Parties distribute how-to-vote cards showing their preferred preference order. You don't have to follow them — you can number your preferences however you like.

4. Vote Below the Line in the Senate

Voting "above the line" (numbering party boxes) lets parties direct your preferences. Voting "below the line" (numbering individual candidates) gives you complete control. It takes longer but gives you more power.

Beyond Federal Elections

You can vote in:

  • Federal elections (every ~3 years)
  • State elections (every 4 years in most states)
  • Local council elections (every 4 years) — often the election with the most direct impact on your daily life
  • Referendums — to change the Constitution

Local elections typically have the lowest engagement despite having the most direct impact — council decisions affect your roads, parks, rubbish collection, and development approvals.

Tonight's Question

"Who is our local MP? Our state MP? Our local council representative? If nobody knows, let's find out."

Know Your Representatives

  1. Find out who represents your family at all three levels: federal, state, local.
  2. Visit their websites. What issues are they focused on?
  3. Find out when they hold community meetings or "office hours."
  4. As a family, write to one representative about an issue that matters to you.
  5. Discuss: did you know any of this before today? Why does it matter?

Go Further

  • Website: They Vote For You (theyvoteforyou.org.au) — see how your MP actually voted in parliament.
  • Research: The 2022 "teal independents" phenomenon — how did community-backed candidates win safe seats?
  • Question: Should the voting age be lowered to 16? Several countries are considering this.
  • Challenge: Attend a local council meeting (they're public). See democracy in action at its most local level.

What We Simplified

  • Voting isn't the only form of democratic participation. It's important but limited. Real influence happens between elections through advocacy, community organising, and engagement.
  • Not all votes have equal impact. In safe seats, the outcome is practically predetermined. Marginal seats receive disproportionate attention and resources.
  • Young people can't yet vote. But they can still engage through youth councils, school politics, community activism, and influencing the adults around them.

Sources

  • AEC. "Electoral Results." AEC
  • They Vote For You. theyvoteforyou.org.au
  • Kefford, G. (2023). The Minor Parties. La Trobe University Press.

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