Compulsory preferential voting

[medusala]

In the last 10 years in which you haven't voted, have you been fined?

They sent me one letter but I said that I was travelling in Europe and couldnt get to an embassy. I suspect they leave people alone who are overseas given many of them would have valid excuses for not being anywhere near a polling station.

I have no idea how many letters go out / fines are made.

 

[ralphmalph]

The pointy end of tyranny, eh?

 

[Relativity]

I've missed voting on 2 occasions, state & federal, and was sent the "please explain" on both occasions. Replied that I was unaware that an election was happening and never heard back from them. That was 20 odd years ago though. Maybe I caused the recession that we had to have. Then maybe the other bloke that cbf to vote counteracted my vote.

 

[Pessimistic]

Currently i and good lady wife have $70 fines hangin over for apparently failing to vote in local election.

My excuse will be that i found the lack of information very poor and sent a couple of emails to boroondara council for more information. They didnt reply

They never do. If this process somehow gets them to anser my emails it might be worth it. Its appalling they never respond to ratepayers emails

I did remember on election day but couldnt because i couldn get information about where to go to vote personally..


Fining for local government is crazy but i giuess we will all be targetted because the budgets need balancing. Fines is the first option these days.


I generally agree with compulsory voting for statevand federa but doesnt anyone see it as strange that the major parties are not similarly required to field candidates Particularly at by elections, where they use saving money as an excuse.

Punters are forced to vote but they are too tight to field a candidate ??

 

[Admiral Byng]

Currently i and good lady wife have $70 fines hangin over for apparently failing to vote in local election.

My excuse will be that i found the lack of information very poor and sent a couple of emails to boroondara council for more information. They didnt reply

They never do. If this process somehow gets them to anser my emails it might be worth it. Its appalling they never respond to ratepayers emails

I did remember on election day but couldnt because i couldn get information about where to go to vote personally..


Fining for local government is crazy but i giuess we will all be targetted because the budgets need balancing. Fines is the first option these days.


I generally agree with compulsory voting for statevand federa but doesnt anyone see it as strange that the major parties are not similarly required to field candidates Particularly at by elections, where they use saving money as an excuse.

Punters are forced to vote but they are too tight to field a candidate ??

You have compulsory voting in local elections in Melbourne?

 

[Pessimistic]

It seems so, but i dont remember voting for it, surely it should have been subject to a referendum


Fines are the new taxes down here in mexico, and the 'liberal' governmetn seem to be worse at ti, despite whining about it in opposition

We also found that red light cameras had a short amber duration, hence catching many more people than should have been

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

In the last 10 years in which you haven't voted, have you been fined?

I got hit with it when I first moved to Victoria, for council elections.
I didn't know local government voting was compulsory in Victoria. I sent a letter telling them that I had moved from a state where it was not mandatory; Tasmania; and didn't know it was mandatory, but still had to pay the fine.

 

[sydney eagle]

As has been pointed out what is compulsory is attendance at a polling booth (and having your name marked off as having attended); casting a valid vote is not compulsory.

 

[Pessimistic]

As has been pointed out what is compulsory is attendance at a polling booth (and having your name marked off as having attended); casting a valid vote is not compulsory.

It hasnt been pointed out that many of them are now postal votes, so you cant remember and rush round to the polling booth.

That was my issue I remembered on polling day - too late


My other point is these things are being policed more rigorously as departments try to meet shrinking budget targets

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

It hasnt been pointed out that many of them are now postal votes, so you cant remember and rush round to the polling booth.

That was my issue I remembered on polling day - too late


My other point is these things are being policed more rigorously as departments try to meet shrinking budget targets

Depending on exactly where you were, you should still have been able to cast an absentee ballot. Within the same state, you should be able to do so at any polling booth. If interstate, there are some booths available in major cities which cater for interstate votes.

 

[Pessimistic]

I couldn find any information - including the cricial bit that the fine is $70 not $10 or $20

 

[Qsaint]

In the last 10 years in which you haven't voted, have you been fined?

So to show what a joke compulsory voting is over 20% of those eligible didn't vote in 2010. That 3 + million voters, 50% didn't enroll, 30% didn't show and 20% donkey voted. The donkey vote obviously showed up which I believe is all you have to do. This election there is still 1.3 million who haven't enrolled yet, so it isn't getting any better

 

[Caesar]

Where'd you get those numbers from?

I wasn't aware the AEC kept statistics on donkey voting.

 

[Qsaint]

Where'd you get those numbers from?

I wasn't aware the AEC kept statistics on donkey voting.

Spokesman Phil Diak said there were 14.6 million on the roll at the weekend, out of a total pool of 15.9 million.
He said 900,000 people didn't vote last federal election and about 700,000 spoiled their ballot papers resulting in informal votes.

From an abc interview partially summarized here http://m.smh.com.au/federal-politic...says-electoral-commission-20130812-2rqvg.html

 

[Caesar]

Oh, right.

Donkey voting and spoiling your ballot are different things.

 

[Slax]

They sent me one letter but I said that I was travelling in Europe and couldnt get to an embassy. I suspect they leave people alone who are overseas given many of them would have valid excuses for not being anywhere near a polling station.

I have no idea how many letters go out / fines are made.

If you take the time to respond to the letter they will not take any further action, provided you offer a half plausible excuse. This is what an VEC person told me when I was acting as a scrutineer a while back.

 

[Slax]

Oh, right.

Donkey voting and spoiling your ballot are different things.

Donkey voting means you actually complete the ballot form correctly according to the law, spoiling your ballot means you haven't correctly completed the form or you have attempted to alter the form in some manner.

 

[Slax]

I'd actually like to see a hole review on the way in which we vote done. I'd like to see the following changes:

• Scrapping full preferential voting for the Lower Houses
• Allow preferential voting above the line in the Senate
• Non-comulsory postal voting for local council elections (let's admit it most people don't even know what ward they are in, let alone who their councillor is).

If we want compulsory voting we must offer a system that encourages people to actually vote.

 

[Gough]

I'd actually like to see a hole review on the way in which we vote done. I'd like to see the following changes:

• Scrapping full preferential voting for the Lower Houses
• Allow preferential voting above the line in the Senate
• Non-comulsory postal voting for local council elections (let's admit it most people don't even know what ward they are in, let alone who their councillor is).

If we want compulsory voting we must offer a system that encourages people to actually vote.

That's the one I'd like to see disappear more than anything else. I'd really like to vote Green this election but I cannot bring myself to do it because I know that my vote will end up with either the ALP or the Libs (depending on my preference) who have some policies that I abhor and leaders that I despise, so I'm forced to vote informally.
For mine it also just reinforces the duopoly that the two major parties have.

 

[Caesar]

Non-comulsory postal voting for local council elections (let's admit it most people don't even know what ward they are in, let alone who their councillor is).

Voting in local government elections is compulsory in NSW, but I think it is optional in most states. It definitely is in WA.

 

[Ice-Wolf]

Voting in local government elections is compulsory in NSW, but I think it is optional in most states. It definitely is in WA.

I believe it is compulsory in Victoria but done via postal vote.

 

[medusala]

If you take the time to respond to the letter they will not take any further action, provided you offer a half plausible excuse. This is what an VEC person told me when I was acting as a scrutineer a while back.

Since the above post I have updated details for my drivers licence which resulted in the electoral office writing to me. I responded and they agreed to take me off the role, so I can not vote and I wont be fined (but can do so if I wish). Until then I hadn't realised that was an option.

 

[Slax]

That's the one I'd like to see disappear more than anything else. I'd really like to vote Green this election but I cannot bring myself to do it because I know that my vote will end up with either the ALP or the Libs (depending on my preference) who have some policies that I abhor and leaders that I despise, so I'm forced to vote informally.
For mine it also just reinforces the duopoly that the two major parties have.

I'll try and see if I can confirm this or not, but I was lead to believe that if there were 5 candidates and you numbered both the ALP and Liberal 4th in the preferences then your preferences would only go to the numbers 1, 2 & 3, but not count for the fourth. I'm not sure on this but will try and found out unless someone else knows for sure.

 

[Pessimistic]

Maybe the same answer should be given as was given to pro republic people

If it aint broken dont fix it


I do find it crazy that you are compelled to vote but a major party doesnt have to provide a candidate

 

[kickazz]

I'll try and see if I can confirm this or not, but I was lead to believe that if there were 5 candidates and you numbered both the ALP and Liberal 4th in the preferences then your preferences would only go to the numbers 1, 2 & 3, but not count for the fourth. I'm not sure on this but will try and found out unless someone else knows for sure.

No, in federal elections this would be informal, as your intentions are not clear as to who is 4th and 5th preference.

If, however, you only numbered 1 to 4 and left ONE candidate blank, then I am 98% sure this is still formal. It is assumed the blank one is your 5th preference.