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The Forum > Article Comments > Vote 1 blank! > Comments

Vote 1 blank! : Comments

By Brett Walker, published 20/8/2010

Vote 1 Blank! That’s one way to 'stick it to the man': Mark Latham is to be commended for pointing it out.

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Thanks Brett Walker. It is excellent to see this article on the day before the election.

You and Latham a spot-on. Returning a blank ballot paper is to be highly recommended, for two very big reasons:

1. Neither major party deserves our vote.

2. The voting system is terribly flawed and just plain antidemocratic!

At last I have read a view aligned with what I have been saying for years: the compulsory preferential system is fundamentally flawed.

I would put it in stronger words than you have – I’d call it totally antidemocratic, a rort and a means of STEALING votes and making them count for major candidates in cases where voters have no intention of voting for them!

Why do we have this disgraceful system?

The optional preferential system, which has been proven to work perfectly well in Qld and NSW for many elections, should replace it. And until it does, we should return a blank ballot paper with ‘no to CPV, yes to OPV’ or something like that written on it!
Posted by Ludwig, Friday, 20 August 2010 8:50:17 AM
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Brett Walker:>> So until I am permitted to validly cast my ballot based on my true take on the relative worth of each candidate I am happy to have the Latham method at my disposal<<

Brett you pose some salient points, although I can't help feeling with this particular election your strategy is akin to turfing the baby with the bath water.

The outcome of his election is crucial for us as a nation if we want some control over our own destiny. Let’s consider the recent past; we had 4 terms of Hawke/Keating who left a debt of 90 billion, this amount is not unreasonable given the period it encompasses. Then 4 terms of Howard/Costello who paid back the 90 billion and left a surplus of 20 billion. Then in less than one term the Rudd/Swan government spent the 20 billion and borrowed over 100 billion.

Do not vote the Libs in, but vote "this" Labor govt out as they are incompetent ideologues that put their party before the people. Brett this election is not one that you can let go either way with the confidence that both parties are reasonable national economic managers, and social policy issues the only divide as in the past. This ruling govt is supremely incompetent to an extent never seen in this nation before and an informal vote or a vote for Labor limits the chance for Australia’s ongoing prosperity and quality of life in a real and impacting way.
Posted by sonofgloin, Friday, 20 August 2010 9:25:34 AM
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So your thesis is, because people are lazy, and cant be bothered numbering below the line, that you wont either. Maybe ban above the line voting, so if anyone wants to vote, they have to do it properly. If they cant be bothered, their vote doesn't count.

I do agree though that ranking anything from 1-84 is not going to be a definitive expression of your desires. Humans can only accurately rank up to 10 things.

Try ranking your top 84 movies, with their different genres and actors and cinematography and scripts. It's just like attempting to rank 84 different parties with different policies and different people with different attributes.

It is possible that their wont be a winner if you don't have everyone filling in every box. They'd have to accept first past the post including preferences rather than a 'majority' of over 50% including preferences.
Posted by Houellebecq, Friday, 20 August 2010 9:53:09 AM
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Arrghh, to correct my last post: Brett, you and Latham ARE spot-on!

.
<< The outcome of his election is crucial for us as a nation if we want some control over our own destiny. >>

How do you figure that sonofgloin?

The two liblabs are so damn similar to each other that it makes a complete mockery of this election and of the notion of democratic choice!

Ohhhh, if only the Greens had better-developed their policies on sustainability, or the Stable Population Party had got their act together in time for this election and given us poor voters a real choice between heading for a healthy future or continuing down the road to ruin!

Ohhhhhh….if only (;>(
Posted by Ludwig, Friday, 20 August 2010 9:59:40 AM
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The worst outcome of the compulsory-voting system is donkey-votes. Compulsory preferences come next. In fact, compulsory-anything is bad, which is why I vote for the LDP, that stands for freedom to individuals.

For those who plan to make a random donkey vote, by leaving your ballot papers blank you can do a great act of kindness toward those for whom the election-results really and badly matter, often in a very personal way.

So long as attending a polling-booth is still compulsory, I suggest adding a box to the ballot-papers where you mark "how important is this election to me" on a scale of 0-10, then your vote is weighted accordingly. If your heart is bleeding - tick a 10, if you like no party and only want to protest - tick a 0, if unsure tick a 5.
Posted by Yuyutsu, Friday, 20 August 2010 10:02:14 AM
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I disagree Gloin- some people were to sincerely feel Labor reflects their beliefs (how I don't know, but play along) then they would not be inclined to vote Liberal for the benefit of the country.
If a person supported neither, and was a secular conservative voter- that basically excludes them from the entire party scene.

I feel voting blank is perfectly valid if there are no candidates to correspond to your beliefs.
Posted by King Hazza, Friday, 20 August 2010 10:09:37 AM
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The only two countries in the World that have compulsory voting are Australia and the USSR which then bequeathed it to the present Russia.
It says a lot for our so-called democracy that we have to be made to vote.
It has of course corrupted the system so that it has become an auction to buy the vote of the swinging voter who has to vote but does not have to think about the reasons for voting.
Politicians are only interested in retaining power or gaining it and do nothing but pander to the swinging voter group. If they were not made to vote, they would not bother and would not be the main factor in installing governments.
Posted by sarnian, Friday, 20 August 2010 11:23:57 AM
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This year I've had to apply for a postal vote and have already filled it out below the line and sent it back.

On my white ballot paper there were 60 candidates and very difficult to sort the wheat from the chaff even at home and with the help of my computer to analyse the various candidates. To attempt to do so without exceptional knowledge in a booth on polling day would be next to impossible, but it is your democratic right to take your time and give your candidate the best possible chance. To cast a blank ballot is to waste your vote, so don't go crook when the worst party (in your eyes) gets the top spot. If you don't vote, you have no further right to speak out against the political parties no matter who gets in.

And, you can vote for the Stable Population Party of Australia tomorrow by voting 1 for the Senate Group T. Bourke/O'Conner above the line in NSW only.

Also, I wonder what happens to those blank ballot papers? Taking all the back-stabbing antics we've seen in the run-up to the election, it wouldn't surprise me if some shonky deal was done to sneak them off to one of the two top hopefuls :-)
Posted by Aime, Friday, 20 August 2010 12:01:28 PM
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There's going to be 84 on mine.

But you can work out your preferences at...

https://www.belowtheline.org.au/nsw/

It tells you the preferences of all the parties, and you can use them as a template and edit them, then print it out to bring on the day.
Posted by Houellebecq, Friday, 20 August 2010 12:04:31 PM
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Thank you Houellebecq,

I wish I knew about this site earlier, with all the information in one spot - it would have saved me long hours of researching. I also voted below the line and posted it already. I will certainly use this site on the next elections!
Posted by Yuyutsu, Friday, 20 August 2010 12:26:49 PM
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Congratulations!
This post gets the raspberry award of the week!
Latham is/was criticised before his latest bottom of the boot smelly ideas.

He has an axe to grind he wants to stop labor because they dumped him.

By not voting you achieve nothing neither party gives a toss at this stage they'll accept any win.

What you are ensuring is that the most negative side (most motivated) will win. Any psychologist will tell you won't is stronger than will if not why then did the Libs 27 out 28 ads simply slagged the opposition and said what they won't do not what they will.

If you want a Liberal govt then vote for it.

If you want to change policy either change the dysfunctional party system or join a party and change it. Doing nothing never changed anything.
Posted by examinator, Friday, 20 August 2010 12:48:22 PM
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Ludwig I said "the outcome of his election is crucial for us as a nation if we want some control over our own destiny."

You asked "how do you figure that sonofgloin?"

By control of our own destiny I was referring to our debt. When we are in debt the lender calls the shots, and the impact is that politicians then make decisions taking our foreign debt into account which negatively impact on the cash cow, you and me.

King Hazza you are of course right, your vote your choice, or not.

I do not know if it is a generational thing but even if the policies of the govt and opposition did not suit me I would vote in "this" election against those who are so blatantly incompetent of managing anything larger than a Labor party sub branch. What I am saying is I would vote to take the pain away, but obviously some do not feel the pain. An informal vote when the only pressing issues are domestic is your right but when the election directly relates to our "foreign" debt and the propensity to run it up, I would vote for the historically better managers of our economy even if I hated the shadow they cast.
Posted by sonofgloin, Friday, 20 August 2010 2:27:05 PM
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Are you sure, sonofgloin?

>>By control of our own destiny I was referring to our debt. When we are in debt the lender calls the shots<<

To whom are we in debt?

And in what manner are the lenders able to "call the shots"?

I'd be genuinely interested in your response, as I have heard this mantra so many times, it must be important.

So do let me know before I have to go to the ballot box, please.

It could make all the difference.
Posted by Pericles, Friday, 20 August 2010 3:00:41 PM
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Pericles :>> To whom are we in debt?<<

P, my money is the Chinese for obvious reasons, but the Rudd/Gillard govt is not disclosing.

>> And in what manner are the lenders able to "call the shots"?
I'd be genuinely interested in your response, as I have heard this mantra so many times, it must be important.<<

Our largest export partner is China, and you can be assured even without disclosure that the only money available over the past two years is Chinese, and we borrowed from them. Given you have no been able to reconcile these facts then an explanation of the pressure for economic or political gain that comes from that scenario would be wasted on you. Mantra indeed, a displaying of the facts and a possible outcome is what I described.

>> So do let me know before I have to go to the ballot box, please.
It could make all the difference.<<

Given this last line I have to inform you I will not have a battle of wits with an unarmed man.
Posted by sonofgloin, Friday, 20 August 2010 4:13:30 PM
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Over a billion people in China would love to have the opportunity to vote. Here in Australia some silly people waste their vote.

Such people should be stopped from voting until they can prove that they can vote responsibly and intelligently.
Posted by David G, Friday, 20 August 2010 5:34:03 PM
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We should be able to register a valid vote that records that no candidate is acceptable. A blank/informal vote does not achieve this.Leslie
Posted by Leslie, Friday, 20 August 2010 5:57:32 PM
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