sentences:  The new act repealed the existing "Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902", but did not alter the terms of the "Commonwealth Electoral (War-time) Act 1917", under which naturalised British subjects born in enemy countries were disqualified from voting.This provision mainly affected German-Australians.There was a long history of support for preferential voting in Australia, but the immediate trigger for the new legislation was the decision of farmers' organisations to run candidates of their own in opposition to the Nationalist Party.