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Indigenous Voting History
Prior to the Commonwealth of Australian Constitution Act, each state within Australia existed as a sovereign colony with the ability to pass legislation concerning the enfranchisement of indigenous Australians. Inter-state differences were therefore visible between each territory, meaning Indigenous Australians' right to vote depended on the area in which they resided. The voting system in Australia underwent major reforms as a result of the 1901 Commonwealth of Australian Constitution Act which united the states of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia and Queensland. This Constitution established the Commonwealth of Australia and these previously self-governing colonies were merged to establish the Commonwealth of Australia. Section 127 of the Commonwealth of Australian Constitution Act constitutionally excluded Indigenous Australians from voting; "In reckoning the numbers of the people of the Commonwealth, or of a state or of another part of the Commonwealth, aboriginal natives shall not be counted". Indigenous Australians were granted the universal right to vote in federal elections in 1962 under the Commonwealth Election Act.

 Timeline of Indigenous Australians' Right to Vote