Why are the minor parties more successful in having candidates elected to the Senate than the House of Representatives?
Independents and members of minority parties have a better chance of election to the Senate than the House of Representatives because a different electoral system is used. In Senate elections, a system called proportional representation voting secures the election of a number of candidates, each of whom has obtained a required quota or proportion of votes necessary for election. The quota is worked out by dividing the total number of formal votes in the election by one more than the number of places available for election No one candidate needs to obtain a majority of votes, as is the case in House of Representative elections. Votes received in excess of the quota by successful candidates are redistributed to those candidates who have been ranked second by the voters on the excess ballot papers. If insufficient candidates reach a quota after this distribution, the preferences of voters for the least successful candidates are progressively distributed until enough candidates reach a quo
