Page "Western Australian Legislative Council" Paragraph 1

The Legislative Council today has 36 members, elected for fixed four-year terms.

Each member is elected under a proportional and preferential voting system using the single transferable vote method, and represents one of six multi-member regions.

Each region elects six members.

Under proportional representation, it is not unusual for a government, lacking a clear majority in the Legislative Council, to rely on the voting support of independent members and / or minor parties, such as The Greens, to pass legislation.

As with all other Australian states and territories, voting is compulsory for all resident Australian citizens — and eligible British citizens ( i. e., those permanently resident and on the electoral roll prior to the passage of the Australia Act ) — who are over the legal voting age of 18.