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Australian Colonial Electoral Rolls

The Electoral Roll is a list of people entitled to vote. They have a greater significance in Australia due to the absence of census records and are often grouped with a collection of records collectively known as census substitutes. Along with directories and censuses, electoral (or voter) rolls can help locate an ancestor and knowing where an ancestor lived aids in determining where to look for other records.

In all Australian colonies there was a progression towards universal suffrage. When the lower house was created, the franchise requirements differed and a separate roll would have been published.

There is a third tier of government and municipal rolls were also maintained. Historically these have an even greater limitation on eligible voters, but can prove useful once the location of the family is known as they often contain additional information.

In the early nineteenth century the franchise was very restricted and enrolment was based on wealth and gender. The earliest rolls of the 1840s will list property owners who were eligible to vote. In most of the colonies all adult men were granted voting rights by 1860. At the end of the century, adult women were granted voting rights as well.

The difficulty in using electoral rolls is shared by census returns, directories and newspapers in that they are largely unindexed and require extensive trawling. Fortunately the trend to scan and publish this material is a great benefit to researchers. If the researcher has some idea of the location then the first step is to locate the right electorate. In some states, this can prove to be a little difficult and is an exercise in its own right. Approach the state archive collection to seek assistance.

You can access South Australian colonial rolls via the above menu: Services offered.

Colony Year Voters are the people listed in the rolls
NSW
Legislative Council appointed by Governor 1824; 24 elected of 36, incl. 6 from Port Phillip, 1 from Moreton Bay 1843; Bicameral responsible government 1856
1843
Men owning freehold property exceeding £200 value.
Men leasing property with an annual value exceeding £20.
1851
Men owning freehold property exceeding £100 value.
Men leasing property with an annual value exceeding £10.
1857
Owners of freehold estates exceeding £100 value within the electorate.
Persons holding licences from the government to depasture livestock within the electorate.
Occupiers of houses of the clear annual value of £10 in the electorate.
Holders of leasehold estates of the annual value of £10, the leases greater than three years.
1858
All adult males who had lived in the electorate for the preceding six months who were British subjects by birth.
All adult males who had lived in the electorate for the preceding six months who had been naturalised for five years and had lived in the colony for the past two years.
A man could vote in every electorate where he held the necessary property.
Police, serving members of the armed forces, paupers and prisoners could not vote.
1893
All adult males living in the electorate who were British subjects by birth.
All adult males living in the electorate who had been naturalised for five years and had lived in the colony for the past two years.
Police, serving members of the armed forces, paupers and prisoners could not vote.
QLD
Separated from NSW 1859 & bicameral responsible government established
1859
Males, 21 years and older, who owned or leased property up to a certain value. [Legislative Assembly]
All members appointed. [Legislative Council]
1869
Males, 21 years and older, who owned or leased property up to a certain value. [Legislative Council]
1872
Male British subjects over 21. [Legislative Assembly]
SA
Separated from NSW 1836 extended 1863; 16 of 24 elected 1850; Legislative Council appointed by Governor 1843; Bicameral responsible government 1856.
SA was the 4th jurisdiction to give women the vote after Wyoming 1868, Colorado 1893 and NZ 1893
1850

Males, 21 years and older, who owned or leased property up to a freehold vlaue of £100. [Legislative Council]

1855
Males, 21 years and older inc Aborigines [House of Assembly]
Males, 21 years and older, who owned freehold propertvalue of £50 or leased with annual value £25. [Legislative Council]
1857
All adult male British subjects who had resided at a particular address for 6 months. [House of Assembly]
Males, 21 years and older, who owned or leased property up to a certain value. [Legislative Council]
1894
All adult British subjects who had resided at a particular address for 6 months. [House of Assembly]
Men & women, 21 years and older, who owned freehold propertvalue of £50 or leased with annual value £25. [Legislative Council]
TAS
Separated from NSW 1825 & own Legislative Council established; 16 of 24 elected 1851; Bicameral responsible government 1856
1851
Males, 21 years and older, who owned or leased property up to a certain value. [Legislative Counci]
1857
Adult males, natural born or naturalised citizens and to have been resident in the colony for a minimum of 12 months. [House of Assembly]
1897

Male British subjects over 21 [House of Assembly]

VIC
Separated from NSW 1851 & own Legislative Council established with 20 of 30 elected; Bicameral responsible government 1856
1851
Male British subjects over 21, who owned or leased property up to a certain value. [Legislative Counci]
1857
Male British subjects over 21. [Legislative Assembly]
WA
Legislative Council with 12 of 18 members of Legislative Council elected 1867; Bicameral responsible government 1890
1867

Members indirectly elected. [Legislative Council]

1870
Male British subjects over 21, who owned or leased property up to a certain value. [Legislative Counci]
1890

Male British subjects over 21, who owned or leased property up to a certain value. [Legislative Assembly]
All members appointed. [Legislative Council]

1893
Male British subjects over 21, not Aboriginals. [Legislative Assembly]
Male British subjects over 21, who owned or leased property up to a certain value. [Legislative Counci]
1899

Men & women, British subjects over 21. [Legislative Assembly]

The following is a list of known electoral rolls sorted by year and where they may be found. In some years only fragments survive. No distinction is made whether the roll is for the lower or upper house.

Australian Colonial Rolls
NSW

1842 to 1901
[not published or not in any collection: 1847, 1865, 1866, 1872, 1880]

State Records
does not have
1859,
1867 onwards

State Library
does not have
1844–46, 1850,
1853–56,
1861, 1862,
1869–71

Society of Australian
Genealogists
has
1842–64

Ancestry.com
has
1842–64

NT 1863–1901
[SA Parliament]
Genealogical Society
of the NT

1884–1901 incomplete
Gould Genealogy
1884–1901 incomplete
[on CD]
   
QLD
1859 to 1900
[not published or not in any collection: 1861, 1863, 1871, 1873, 1887, 1888]
State Archives
does not have
1859,
1860, 1862,
1900
1860–74 incomplete
1887 missing,
1888 missing
See: archives.qld.gov.au

State Library of NSW
has
1859, 1900

Gould Genealogy
1860–69
1880–84
1895,1896,
1900
[on CD]

 

 
SA
1851 to 1901
No complete colony-wide rolls survive.

To access check the above menu: Services offered.

TAS
1856 to 1901
[not published or not in any collection: 1857, 1858, 1863, 1866, 1869, 1871–90, 1892–1898]

Archives Office
has
1856,
1862–67, 1870,
1891,
1899

State Library
has
1856-1900
State Library of VIC
has
1859–61,
1867
 
VIC
1843 to 1901

[not published or not in any collection: 1844, 1846, 1852–55, 1858–61,
1863–68, 1870–71, 1873–83, 1885, 1888–98, 1900–01]
The only complete colony-wide rolls are for 1856 & 1899.
Public Record Office of VIC
does not have
1843,
1849–50,
1856 on
State Library
has
1856,
1857,
1899
Genealogical
Society of VIC

does not have
1857
Ancestry.com
has
1856*

* indexed
WA
1871 to 1901
[not published or not in any collection: 1871–1899, 1901]
State Library
has
1870, 1899
State Records
has
1868 Perth,
1880-1895 Perth
   

 

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