I have never intentionally voted informal in my life, believing it is a "duty" to have ones say as part of the democratic process. In Federal elections one must preference all candidates in order to cast a formal vote. In 95% of the electorates for the House of Representatives that means, regardless if you vote for a minor party or independent the vote ends up in the pile for one or the other of the big two, Labor or the Coalition, the two party preferred system. Considering the performance of the Coalition government since the last election, and given the mediocracy of the Labor opposition, I don't much fancy either forming a government. At the local level the LNP incumbent is lacking and I would rate his performance as ordinary, not knowing his Labor opponent I don't fancy either as my representative in Canberra. I may simply vote "1" for a minor party candidate, most likely Greens and nothing else, making my vote informal.

Is there anyone else who feels they should vote that way?

Paul1405 is suggesting that because it's in line with his insidious agenda. It's like with the Census, the insidious suggest not to bother ticking your religion but what that actually does is give the insidious power because they mark theirs.
Informal voting is actually worse than voting for the party one doesn't favour !
Informal voting is akin to treason ! People should not be permitted to promote it, they should be fined.

Hi Paul,

I've never voted informally. I prefer to vote for the
party whose policies I like and think will benefit
me, and my family, and the country in general.

individual

I’m incensed. My intelligence is insulted by your condemnation of informal voters.

I’m one. And it gives me a huge sense of power in the moment, tearing up a ballot paper.
It screams “ I am not responsible for the criminals at the top”.

Now..if it were voting with a bullet, I would not vote informal at all.

I long ago learned, bullets have much power: A piece of ridiculous voting paper is worthless under current conditions we quaintly call duopoly.

Also under the rule of bullets, we always get a much tougher and pragmatic leadership.
There is plenty of evidence for that one. ISIS for example. Now that is voting power, like it or not, it works!

Dan

diver dan,
I'm certain that you wouldn't be incensed if you read & digested again what I meant !

Dear Paul,

I feel like you, the existing electoral-system is very wrong, but one ought to act rationally rather than based on emotions.

One way is to throw a coin to determine who goes last and who goes second-last.

A better way is to list the most important policies that matter to you personally, then go down that list until you find some difference between Tweedledum and Tweedledee, even if it is the 20th on your list, then vote accordingly.

Better still, since the policies that are most personally important to me are far from being on the parties' established agenda, I lobby both parties asking them whether they will enact my policy if I vote for them.

In my case, it is important for me to be able to pay for my COVID vaccines.

I already asked the Liberal government, but they outright refused to allow me to pay for my "free" vaccines.
Now I will lobby Labor: if they accept and provide me with a way to refund the tax-payer for my vaccines, then they will have the preferences of me and my friends.

I will let you know the outcome, so if you agree with me that those who so-wish ought to be able to pay for their own vaccines and Labor accepts it, then I hope you preference them too.

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Dear Individual,

«Informal voting is akin to treason !»

Had that been the case, it would sound like a great opportunity!

I wouldn't condone Diver Dan's violent methods, but if I can help topple the regime by non-violent means, like Mahatma Gandhi, then I am all for it. But alas, I cannot see how voting informal can help: far better to vote formally for small anti-establishment parties.