On 9 July 2010 20:27, noonie <neale.n...@gmail.com> wrote: > Greetings, > I remember a recent election with 20+ candidates on the ballot paper. The > way one is supposed to vote, as shown on the how-to-vote cards, is to select > your most favoured candidate and place a 1 against his/her name, then a 2 on > the next favoured and so on until you run out of numbers. > I so detested the list of candidates that I voted in reverse order, counting > down in order of least distaste. Says a lot for what was on offer. > I don't think that, in 35 years of voting, I ever voted for a candidate who > actually won. I consider myself disenfranchised and unrepresented.
Thought that was just me, I always countdown vote. I suspect your vote ends up being for labor or liberal when the preferences are counted. You used to be able to get around that, by voting 1 2 2 2 2 - but I believe that is informal now. > Sad... really. > -- > Regards, > noonie > > > > On 9 July 2010 19:07, Les Hughes <l...@datarev.com.au> wrote: >> >> Greg Keogh wrote: >>> >>> I was disappointed several years ago to learn that it's illegal to tell >>> people not to vote, and perhaps also to tell them to vote for the donkey >>> or >>> to write your opinion of politicians on the ballot paper instead of >>> ticking >>> the little boxes. I remember some TV host dipstick comedian girlie made >>> comments in this area, and on the following weeks show they had to make >>> an >>> apology for what she said and explain the conundrum. >>> >>> Although I don't think it's illegal to actually vote for the donkey or >>> write >>> a poem on the ballot paper, because thanks to the anonymous system we >>> have >>> they can't track the offender. I also think it's not illegal to be not >>> registered to vote. >>> >>> I still have this dream of watching election night and the big tally >>> boards >>> behind the presenters start racking up the numbers ... 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% >>> 0.001% >>> 0% 0.0023% 0% etc. I wonder if the Australian constitution could deal >>> with >>> such a situation where almost no one made a valid vote. >>> >>> Any legal experts in here? I know we have at least one who writes >>> software >>> as well. >>> >>> Greg >>> >> >> I'm certainly not an expert (although, I am an avid watcher of Judge >> Judy), but a quick look at the constitution seems to show nothing particular >> about individual voters. Check >> http://www.comlaw.gov.au/comlaw/comlaw.nsf/440c19285821b109ca256f3a001d59b7/57dea3835d797364ca256f9d0078c087/$FILE/ConstitutionAct.pdf >> >> Taking a quick look around, it appears we are forced to vote via the >> Commonwealth Electoral Act (1918), and I believe there are also state acts >> for state elections (I could be wrong, but I received a fine from the VEC >> once, and I recall it been a state act). >> >> On Federal elections, some info from >> http://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/Publications/backgrounders/files/2010-eb-compulsory-voting.pdf >> >> "In 1911, the former Act was amended to make enrolment compulsory. In >> 1924, to increase voter turnout and reduce party campaign expenditure, the >> Act was amended to make voting at federal elections compulsory." >> >> Somewhere on the site it says $20 for federal elections, and from memory, >> it is $50 for the Victorian state elections, or it might be 0.5 penalty >> units. I am not sure..... I am pretty sure that it is illegal to donkey >> vote, but the nature of anonymous voting makes it unenforceable (until they >> bring in CSI: Ballot sheets to do DNA matching/etc.... or not) >> >> I agree with you that voting shouldn't be compulsory, but I think because >> it is, we should add a box that says "They are all inferior choices". I am >> pretty sure that box would win. >> >> Anyway, that's enough from me, have a good weekend everyone :P >> -- >> Les Hughes >> l...@datarev.com.au > > -- Meski "Going to Starbucks for coffee is like going to prison for sex. Sure, you'll get it, but it's going to be rough" - Adam Hills
