    elections in australia take place periodically to elect the legislature of the commonwealth of australia, as well as for each australian state and territory. the elections for the australian parliament are held under a single federal electoral system, and there are different systems for each australian state and territory. part iv of chapter 1 of the australian constitution briefly deals with eligibility for voting and election to the federal australian parliament. it does not prescribe how elections should be conducted. election campaigns and associated political advertisements have some regulation. public election funding and party registration was introduced in 1983. voting is almost entirely conducted by paper ballot and is compulsory for adults. the informal vote is not usually significant. ==federal parliament== the parliament of australia consists of two chambers. the house of representatives has 150 members, elected for a maximum term of three years in proportional single-member constituencies with a system of alternative vote known as preferential voting. the senate has 76 members, elected through a preferential system of proportional representation in 12-seat state constituencies and two-seat territorial constituencies with a system of single transferable vote. electors in the two territories elect senators for non-fixed terms that are linked to two elections for the house of representatives. state senators serve fixed six-year terms, except in the case of a double dissolution, with half of the seats in each state expiring every three years. in the event of a double dissolution, the terms of all the members of the senate and the house of representatives seats end immediately. ===election timing=== although elections for the house of representatives have usually corresponded to half-elections of the senate, the rules which determine when the elections occur differ. the house of representatives lasts no more than three years after it first meets, but may be dissolved earlier. after the house is dissolved, the election writs must be issued within 10 days and the next house must meet within 140 days of the writs being issued. the election must then be held on within 33-58 days of the issuing of the writs on a saturday. the terms of senators representing the states are of fixed duration (unless a double 
Elections_in_Australia