Political hopefuls must show eligibility

Candidates will have to publicly provide a checklist outlining advice on how they meet the legal requirements to sit in parliament ahead of the next federal election.

"This will increase transparency and provide great certainty to voters before polling that candidates are qualified to sit in parliament," Special Minister of State Alex Hawke told the lower house.

The draft laws introduced on Thursday address a raft of measures to modernise the electoral rules, including giving the tick of approval for Australians to use pens as well as pencils to cast their vote.