[{"columns":["Member_ID","Branch_ID","Register_Year"],"name":"membership register branch","type":"grid"}]

Can you explain how a senator is elected in Australia?

{"text":"In Australia, there is an election for half the number of State Senators every third year. Each State or Territory votes as one electorate. Twelve Senators are chosen for each State and two Senators for each of the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. Senators are elected by a system of proportional representation to ensure that the proportion of seats won by each party closely reflects the proportion of the votes it gained. The voting itself is in a form of optional preferential voting, where voters assign their preferences for parties above the line of the ballot paper or individual candidates below the line by numbering boxes. Voters are instructed to number at least the first six preferences above the line and the first 12 preferences below the line, but a savings provision allows ballot papers with at least 6 below the line to be formal. \nIf there is a Senate casual vacancy, it will be filled by a person chosen by the Parliament of the State concerned, or by the respective Legislative Assembly for Australian Capital Territory or Northern Territory. The chosen person will fill the vacancy until the end of the former Senator\u2019s term. A person of the same political party as the Senator previously filling the vacant position must be chosen if available.","dsl":{}}

How are members of the House of Representatives chosen?

{"text":"In Australia, members of the House of Representatives are chosen through a system of universal adult suffrage, where every citizen over the age of 18 has the right to vote. The election process is overseen by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), an independent government agency responsible for conducting federal elections.\n\nThe House of Representatives consists of 151 members, each of whom represents a single electoral division, also known as a \"seat.\" The number of seats in each state and territory is determined by the population of that region, with more populous areas having more seats.\n\nThe process for choosing members of the House of Representatives involves several steps. First, voters are required to enroll to vote by providing their name, address, and proof of citizenship to the AEC. Once enrolled, voters are required to vote in federal elections, unless they have a valid reason for not doing so.\n\nDuring an election, voters are given a ballot paper with the names of all the candidates running for the House of Representatives seat in their electorate. Voters then place a number next to each candidate's name, in order of their preference, with \"1\" being their first preference.\n\nOnce voting has closed, the AEC counts the votes using a system called preferential voting. This system ensures that the candidate with the most votes wins, but also takes into account the second and third preferences of voters. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the first count, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on the next preference of their supporters. This process continues until one candidate has received more than 50% of the votes, and is declared the winner of the seat.\n\nIn summary, members of the House of Representatives in Australia are chosen through a system of universal adult suffrage, with voters selecting their preferred candidates using preferential voting.","dsl":{}}