Discussion: Senate Votes

Problem is most people vote above the line and have NO IDEA what happens to their vote after that. I think people should have to fill in all the boxes, but are allowed to make mistakes e.g. if you duplicate a number then your vote stops at the one before it; or you can fill in however many you want and leave a few blank.

i agree Eoin. it's rather disappointing when people say i wasted my vote because i didn't put a major party first! idiots.

I normally fill out every square on the ballot paper for the pleasure of putting some particularly odious party or individual last.

My scrutineering experience is that typically 20+% of Green voters vote below the line, but only 2-3% of others do. (This means, by the way, that the final Green vote is always quite a bit higher than what's announced on the night, because the below-the-line votes are counted last).

While generally all that will matter is the order you put the major parties it does give me a certain satisfaction to put them as far back as I think they deserve - and at least in the senate there is a chance that your vote for a minor party candidate can make a real difference.

Why not vote above the line so you can get those wonderful surprises, like discovering that your vote might have pushed an unknown Fielding First candidate across the line. Sorry. I meant Family First. It is easy to make that mistake.
On a subject from last week. The yellow rag (also known as the Weekly Times) had a shock horror story last week about the growing gulf between saleyard livestock prices and retail prices in the supermarkets. Since 2000 the price of beef in the saleyards has been relatively constant, while the retail price has increased 50 %. The lamb price differential is less marked. It is an interesting issue. Given most beef is now sold to feedlots who then direct sell to the supermarkets, one could argue that the greatest drought-based cost increases are in the feedlot. The same argument can't be made for lamb. Interestingly, the retail and saleyard lamb prices tracked together quite closely until 2004. Saleyard prices started a gradual fall in the next three years while retail prices continued to increase, but at a slower rate. Its all grist for the conspiracy mill.

the problem with voting below the line in Qld is that there are so many rednecks that need to go last! how do you choose?? (actually - last is easy, pauline gets that one!, but there are plenty in the race for second last!)

I'd certainly have a challenging decision as to who to put last if I lived in Kennedy - Bob Katter's Nationals challenger is the mayor of Cloncurry.

Come on. Victoria isn't that easy either. I remember last time having a devil of a time choosing between different brands of Christian fundamentalists, the DLP, Shooters Party, Citizens Electoral Council, the Nationals and the Liberals. And then there were the others I have tried to forget. The Green was a bit of a nutter as well, sorry to say.

if i put the greens ahead of the major parties, my vote actually will count for them - i'm now in bob browns electorate! might see if i can find a loony independant ;-)

a couple of elections ago mum discovered that she and dad were the only 2 non one-nation votes at the local polling booth.

Bomb. I trust your parents have their home on the market. It reminds me of the famous local story of the solid Nationals booth out near the Pyrenees. All National votes except one for Labor. For many elections the rebel remained a mystery. Then the vote disappeared the election following the death of the wife of the longstanding president of the local Nationals branch.
If your parents move, then all the ex-neighbours will know.

I think you could be crediting One Nation supporters with a bit too much intelligence there....

they would all know... 2 teachers in an area where everyone else is a farmer (and all with the same surname). and mum is a member of the greens party!

Just to show that other states and territories have their share of way-out minor-party candidates too, Ivan Milat's sister-in-law is running for the Senate in the ACT on a platform of liberalising gun laws.

good to know, that is last place on the ballot form decided already.

>Ivan Milat's sister-in-law is running for the Senate in the ACT on a platform of liberalising gun laws.

Every now and then, hidden deep down in discussion threads, you stumble across absolute gems .