Glossary

GLOSSARY - P

Political Party

A political party is a body or organisation with a constitution or set of rules and stated political objectives. It has its own office bearers and an active membership.

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Poll

An election, referendum or survey.

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Polling

The process of electors recording their votes.

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Polling Officials

Staff appointed to work in polling places on Polling Day. The staff are typically selected by the Electoral Commission and appointed through Returning Officers.

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Polling Place

Generally regarded as a location where electors can vote on Polling Day. It is furnished with voting screens and ballot boxes and is staffed by polling officials. Places where mobile polling is conducted are also official polling places. In most cases, mobile polling places operate in the week leading up to Polling Day.

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Portfolio

The office of responsibility to which a member of government can be appointed. The areas of government activity for which a Cabinet Minister has responsibility are said to form his or her portfolio.

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Postal Elections (Local Government)

In a postal election the only way to vote is to put the ballot paper into an envelope, sign the elector's certificate and place this envelope into an outer envelope and send or deliver it to the Returning Officer.

Prior to election day, all enrolled electors will receive a postal voting package from the Western Australian Electoral Commission.

A Postal voting Election package should contain:

• Postal voting instructions (and information about the electoral gifts register)
• Profiles of candidates
• A ballot paper (s)
• A ballot paper envelope with an attached elector's certificate; and
• A postage pre-paid envelope addressed to the Returning Officer.

Postal voting effectively allows a 2 week voting period and reduces the emphasis on polling day activity.

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Postal Vote - See Vote

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Preferential Voting System

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Primary Vote

The Primary Vote for a candidate is the number of first preferences received on formal ballot papers in a count.

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Profile

A brochure included in packages for Local Government Postal Elections, and sometimes for Union and other elections, containing information provided by candidates, about themselves.

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Proportional Representation

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Provisional Enrolment

A seventeen year old may apply for provisional enrolment to enable him or her to vote if they attain the age of 18 by polling day.

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Provisional Vote - See Vote

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Psephology

The statistical and sociological study of elections, and the patterns and trends in voting.