Leslie Massey
Western Australia has a total of 15 electorates or electoral districts, also referred to as seats, at both the federal and state levels. These electorates are single-member districts, meaning each is represented by one elected official in the Australian House of Representatives or the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. The number of electorates in Western Australia is determined by the population of the state, with a requirement to keep the number of voters in each electorate within a certain range of the average. Electoral boundaries are regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with these rules, with the Western Australian Electoral Commission determining the boundaries for state electorates and the Australian Electoral Commission handling federal electorates.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of electorates in Western Australia | 15 as of the 2022 Australian federal election; there are 59 electoral districts in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly |
| Naming convention | Most electorates are named after prominent historical figures or geographical localities |
| Electorate boundaries | Cannot cross state lines; this forces populated areas along state and territory borders to be placed in different electorates |
| Number of enrolled voters | Cannot vary by more than 10% from the state or territory average |
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What You'll Learn
- Western Australia has 15 House of Representatives electorates
- The Western Australian Legislative Assembly has 59 electorates
- Electorates are also called electoral divisions or seats
- The Australian Electoral Commission determines the number of members
- Electoral boundaries are reviewed regularly to maintain relative size
Western Australia has 15 House of Representatives electorates
In 2018, several seats in Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia were abolished and replaced with seats in similar locations but with different names. At the 2022 Australian federal election, there were a total of 151 divisions across all states and territories, including the 15 in Western Australia.
Most divisions are named after prominent historical figures, such as former politicians, explorers, artists, and engineers. Some divisions are also named after geographical localities, though the connection to the locality may be tenuous or change over time. For example, the Division of Werriwa, created in 1901, was named after the Aboriginal word for Lake George in the Canberra region. However, the division has not included Lake George for several decades and has since moved about 200 km north to the southwestern suburbs of Sydney.
The Western Australian Legislative Assembly is elected from 59 single-member electoral districts, which are also referred to as electorates or seats. The Electoral Distribution Act 1947 mandates regular reviews of electoral boundaries to maintain relative size consistency among electorates.
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The Western Australian Legislative Assembly has 59 electorates
The number of enrolled voters in each electorate cannot vary by more than 10% from the state average. The last electoral redistribution took place in December 2023, ahead of the 2025 Western Australia election. This process ensures that the electorates remain within certain size limits and that their boundaries are adjusted as needed to accommodate population changes.
The electorates of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly are comparable to those of the Australian House of Representatives, which are also single-member electoral districts. However, at the federal level, there are complexities due to the representation of territories and the requirement for each original state to have at least five members in the House of Representatives. As a result, the number of electorates in the Australian House of Representatives is 150 or 151, depending on the source.
The Western Australian Legislative Assembly, with its 59 electorates, represents the local population and ensures their interests are considered in the state's decision-making processes. The electorates provide a framework for democratic representation and enable the election of members to the Legislative Assembly.
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Electorates are also called electoral divisions or seats
In Western Australia, there are 15 electorates or electoral districts for the Australian House of Representatives. Electorates are also called electoral divisions or seats. These divisions are single-member electoral districts, meaning that each division elects only one representative to the House of Representatives. The number of divisions in the House of Representatives is specified by Section 24 of the Constitution of Australia, which states that the number should be "as nearly as practicable" twice the number of members of the Australian Senate. This ensures that each state has at least five members in the House of Representatives, giving smaller states a higher representation than their population might otherwise warrant.
The process of determining electorate boundaries is complex and governed by specific rules. For instance, Section 29 of the Constitution forbids electorate boundaries from crossing state lines, which can lead to interesting divisions in border areas. For example, Albury in New South Wales is part of the electorate of Farer, while nearby Wodonga in Victoria is part of the electorate of Indi. On the other hand, this restriction does not apply to territories, and some electoral divisions include electors from multiple territories. The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and the Electoral Distribution Act 1947 provide further guidelines, such as requiring regular reviews of electoral boundaries to maintain relative size parity among electorates.
The naming of electoral divisions is also intriguing. Most divisions are named after prominent historical figures, such as former politicians, explorers, artists, or engineers. However, some divisions are named for geographical localities, though the connection may not always be obvious or enduring. For instance, the Division of Werriwa was created in 1901 and named after the Aboriginal word for Lake George in the Canberra region. Over time, the division moved away from Lake George and is now located in the southwestern suburbs of Sydney.
The number of enrolled voters in each division is also regulated, with a maximum deviation of 10% from the state or territory average. However, this rule does not always result in equal representation, as some larger seats have significantly more electors than smaller ones. This discrepancy is due to various factors, including the need to preserve the names of seats contested in previous elections and the challenge of keeping up with population changes and shifts in voter distribution.
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The Australian Electoral Commission determines the number of members
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) determines the number of members of the House of Representatives for each state and territory. The AEC ensures that the number of enrolled voters in each division does not vary by more than 10% from the state or territorial average. Additionally, the number of voters cannot deviate by more than 3.5% from projected enrolment 3.5 years in the future. As of the 2022 Australian federal election, there were 151 divisions across the country, with 15 of these electorates located in Western Australia.
The Western Australian Legislative Assembly, on the other hand, has 59 single-member electoral districts, often referred to as electorates or seats. These districts are determined by the Western Australian Electoral Commission, which is separate from the AEC. The Electoral Distribution Act 1947 mandates regular reviews of electoral boundaries to maintain relative consistency in the size of electorates. The most recent electoral redistribution took place in December 2023, ahead of the 2025 Western Australia election.
The Australian House of Representatives' electorates are also known as electoral divisions or seats. They represent single-member electoral districts for the lower house of the Parliament of the Commonwealth. The Constitution of Australia, in Section 24, stipulates that the total count of members in the Australian House of Representatives should be "as nearly as practicable" double the number of members in the Australian Senate. This section also mandates that electorates are distributed among the states proportionally to their populations.
The naming of electorates is often linked to prominent historical figures or geographical localities. The commission is tasked with preserving the names of the 75 seats contested in the first election whenever possible. However, in some instances, the connection between a division's name and its geographical locality may become tenuous over time due to changing boundaries. For example, the Division of Werriwa, created in 1901, was named after the Aboriginal word for Lake George in the Canberra region. Today, Werriwa no longer includes Lake George and has shifted towards the southwestern suburbs of Sydney.
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Electoral boundaries are reviewed regularly to maintain relative size
Western Australia currently has 15 electorates or seats in the Australian House of Representatives. These electorates are also referred to as electoral districts or divisions. Each state and territory is represented in the House of Representatives, with the number of members apportioned according to population size. This ensures that each division has roughly the same number of electors.
The Western Australian Legislative Assembly, meanwhile, is elected from 59 single-member electoral districts, which are also commonly referred to as electorates or seats. The Electoral Distribution Act 1947 mandates that electoral boundaries be reviewed regularly to maintain relative size. This means that the number of enrolled voters in each division cannot vary by more than 10% from the state or territory average. Additionally, the number of voters cannot deviate by more than 3.5% from projected enrolment 3.5 years in the future.
The Western Australian Electoral Commission is responsible for determining electoral boundaries in the state. The last electoral redistribution was completed in December 2023 and was first implemented in the 2025 Western Australia election. This process of regularly reviewing and adjusting electoral boundaries is crucial for upholding the fairness and integrity of the electoral system. It ensures that each electorate remains relatively equal in size, preventing any one area or group from having disproportionate influence over the election outcome.
While the number of voters in each division should be similar, it is important to note that some larger seats may contain significantly more electors than smaller ones due to various factors. For example, the seat of Cowper in New South Wales has 80% more electors than the seat of Solomon in the Northern Territory. Additionally, while divisions are typically named after geographical features or prominent historical figures, some may have tenuous connections to their namesake localities due to changes in boundaries over time.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 150 electorates in the Australian House of Representatives, 15 of which are in Western Australia.
Electorates, also known as electoral districts, seats, or divisions, are single-member districts for the lower house of the Parliament of the Commonwealth.
Electoral district boundaries are determined by the Western Australian Electoral Commission, which is required to regularly review the boundaries to keep the relative size of electorates within certain limits. The Commonwealth Electoral Act of 1918 and the Electoral Distribution Act of 1947 provide further guidelines for managing electorates.
Yes, Section 29 of the Constitution forbids electorate boundaries from crossing state lines, requiring populated areas along state borders to be placed in separate electorates. This restriction does not apply to territories, which may be incorporated into multiple territories' electoral divisions.
