AV Referendum

The AV Referendum was a vote to decide whether Australia should adopt the Alternative Vote (AV) electoral system for federal elections. AV allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, rather than choosing just one. If no candidate gets over 50% of first preferences, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and preferences are redistributed until a candidate achieves a majority. This system aims to better reflect voter preferences and ensure that elected representatives have broader support. The 2011 referendum asked Australians to approve or reject replacing the current system with AV, but it was ultimately rejected.