At just twenty-one, Australian politician Charlotte Walker became the youngest female senator in the nation, therefore creating history.
Walker, formally confirmed as senator this week, belonged to the ruling Labor Party. She was the third-ranked candidate from her party, hence the victory surprised her since normally only the top one or two candidates have an opportunity of being elected.
Walker’s victory resulted from Australia’s preferred voting system, which lets voters rank candidates in preferred order. She found sufficient support using this system to land a seat.
Among the six successful Senate candidates from her state, South Australia, the Labor member had the least number of votes. On May 27 the Australian Electoral Commission formally proclaimed the polls.
She recognizes the new role will be a “big adjustment” for her and is scheduled to begin her six-year tenure in July.
Talking with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Walker remarked, “There are some emotions. Clearly, one is under a lot of pressure.
Walker said, expressing both excitement and new obligations, “I want to do a good job for South Australians, but I also want to show young people, particularly young women, that this is achievable and this is something that they can do also.”
