Step 1: Understanding Australia's voting system.
Australia employs the alternative voting method, also known as preferential voting, for House of Representatives elections. Voters rank candidates by preference. If no candidate secures a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on voter preferences until a winner is determined.
Step 2: Analysis of options.
- (1) Alternative voting method: Correct. Australia utilizes preferential voting for House of Representatives elections.
- (2) Hare system: Incorrect. The Hare system, a proportional representation system, is not used in Australia’s House of Representatives.
- (3) Condorcet method: Incorrect. This ranked voting system is not used in Australian House of Representatives elections.
- (4) Second ballot system: Incorrect. This system is not used in Australia for House of Representatives elections.
Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct answer is (1) Alternative voting method.