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Male suffrage
In 1856, South Australia extended the vote to male residents aged 21 and over. -
The secret ballot
Until the 1850s, people voted publicly, which left them vulnerable to intimidation and coercion. -
The woman's suffrage
During the 1880s, the women's suffragette movement gained momentum. This movement was based on the belief that democracy, in its truest form, could not be achieved until women had the same electoral rights as men. -
Compulsory voting
In 1924, to improve the low rates of voter turnout, amendments to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 were made. -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples campaigned for many years to achieve full voting rights in state and federal elections. -
Voting age
During the 1970s, a worldwide trend emerged in Western parliamentary democracies supporting lowering of the eligibility age to enroll and vote.