Writ of election

In Commonwealth countries writs are the usual mechanism by which general elections are called and are issued by the head of state or their representative.

[7] Usually, according to parliamentary law, the head of government must regularly call an election but it is otherwise within their discretion when to drop the writ, up to the time when the parliament has served its full term.

Early dissolutions are allowed by the governor (NSW, Vic, SA) or federal minister for territories (ACT) only if certain objective criteria are met – in particular, if the parliament is unable to agree on the annual budget.

[9] Opposition parties can bring down the government by passing a motion of no confidence, in which the prime minister is required by convention or specific law to either drop the writ or resign; parliaments do not have the right to force the prime minister to drop the writ.

A writ with the name of the successful candidate noted on its back will be returned to the chief electoral officer.

When the government wants to, or is required to, dissolve Parliament, a writ of election is drawn up for each constituency in the UK by the clerk of the Crown in Chancery.

[20]) Where a single constituency becomes vacant, a writ is issued by the speaker of the House of Commons to trigger the by-election for that seat.