Victorian Liberal candidates are chosen by 120-member delegate conferences—60% local branches, 40% party officials—though a push for full plebiscites is gathering support ahead of 2026.
Who votes in preselections?
The Victorian Liberal Party uses a delegate-based system for candidate selection, balancing local branch representation with party organisational oversight. This system has evolved over decades to ensure both grassroots input and party coherence.
For lower-house seats: 120-member conference—60% branch delegates, 40% Admin Committee & Parliamentary delegates (Constitution §14). Upper-house regions use a 100-member college with 50-50 split. Delegates must have at least 24 months' continuous membership.
Lower house preselection structure
Delegate composition in lower-house preselection
Delegate selection process
The process for selecting delegates varies by category:
Branch Delegates (60%)
Official Delegates (40%)
Upper house variations
Upper house preselections follow a modified structure:
- Regional conferences: 100-member college covering multiple electorates
- Equal split: 50% branch delegates, 50% party officials
- Ticket ordering: Delegates rank candidates for party ticket positions
- Regional representation: Ensures geographic balance across the region
Plebiscite vs college models
The debate between delegate conferences and member plebiscites represents a fundamental tension in party democracy—between representative democracy and direct member participation.
Grassroots 'full plebiscite' model (all eligible local members vote) trialled in 2022 federal preselections WA, yielding 7% higher female candidate selection. Victorian Division still uses the delegate model but allows plebiscites if Admin Committee votes >75% in favour.
Plebiscite vs Delegate Model
Plebiscite advantages
Supporters of the plebiscite model argue it offers several benefits:
- Greater democracy: Every member gets a direct vote rather than representation
- Increased participation: Higher member engagement in candidate selection
- Reduced factional influence: Harder for organized groups to control outcomes
- Improved diversity: Evidence suggests better female candidate selection
- Transparency: Direct voting process is more easily understood by members
Delegate model benefits
Defenders of the current system highlight key advantages:
- Informed voting: Delegates have deeper knowledge of candidates and issues
- Cost efficiency: Conferences cost less than postal ballots to thousands
- Deliberative process: Delegates can discuss candidates before voting
- Party cohesion: Official delegates ensure party-wide considerations
- Proven system: Decades of successful candidate selection
Female candidate share: delegate vs plebiscite models
Recent reform proposals (2022-25)
The Victorian Liberal Party has been actively debating preselection reforms, with several proposals emerging from internal reviews and member advocacy.
2023 Kroger review
The comprehensive review led by Michael Kroger recommended significant changes to the preselection system:
- Reduced official weighting: Cut Admin Committee representation from 20% to 10%
- Increased branch power: Boost branch delegate share to 70%
- Plebiscite trials: Pilot member voting in safe seats
- Online voting: Introduce secure digital voting systems
- Candidate diversity: Mandatory diversity reporting on preselection outcomes
However, the review's recommendations were not adopted following resistance from party officials and concerns about implementation costs.
2024 rule change attempts
Several reform motions were proposed at the 2024 State Council:
Reform Motion Results
2025 current proposals
The reform agenda continues with new proposals before the 2025 State Council:
- Staffer delegate limits: Cap political staff at 10% of any preselection conference
- Geelong plebiscite: Trial full member voting if Geelong branch membership exceeds 400
- Gender quotas: Require 40% female representation on candidate tickets by 2026
- Youth representation: Guarantee Young Liberal delegate spots in all preselections
- Regional balance: Ensure geographic representation within electorate conferences
Implementation challenges
Reform efforts face several practical obstacles:
- Technology costs: Secure online voting systems require significant investment
- Security concerns: Protecting ballot integrity and member privacy
- Branch stacking: Preventing mass membership sign-ups to influence outcomes
- Geographic equity: Ensuring rural and remote members can participate equally
- Constitutional requirements: Two-thirds majority needed for major rule changes
Key Preselection Facts
The Victorian Liberal Party's preselection system continues to evolve, balancing traditional delegate-based democracy with calls for greater direct member participation. As the party navigates opposition and prepares for future elections, these procedural reforms reflect broader questions about political participation and representation in modern Australia.
For more on party operations, see our guides to Victorian Liberal Party structure and membership costs and benefits.