Council Voting System

Because of the power of political parties and the party political nature of council elections in places such as Sydney, Newcastle and Woollongong we too are saddled with an optional preferential voting system where we have a choice of voting above the line for a group of candidates.  In big cities this would often be a political party.  Above the line we only have to place one number for it to be a valid vote but you can number more squares if you wish.

Or we can vote below the line for each candidate.  Unless you have a group (5 people needed in the case of Albury) yor name will be placed at the right hand side of the ballot paper below the line as an ungrouped candidate.  Voters must now number at least 5 squares for their vote to be ballot and may number as many squares as they wish.  Remember there are 9 positions to be filled.

So what does all this mean?  Looking back at the last two elections only 30% of votes were cast below the line which means that it is very hard for an ungrouped candidate to be elected.  In voting above the line your are really just voting for the first person in the group.  The others are there in effect to make up the numbers.  At the 2008 elections only one candidate who was not top of a group was elected.  That was Cr Angus who got only 52 votes but was elected because he was in Cr Gould's group and she got a large number of votes.  Many other candidates who got more votes than Cr Angus were not elected.

If you want to choose your candidates at this election the best way is to vote 1 - 9 below the line!