I was told the other week by a regular AEC worker that they still count votes like that if the intent is clear and if it isn’t a practical issue for the vote like the last missing.
Comment on Discussion Thread 🗳️ Saturday 3 May 2025
sqgl@beehaw.org 1 month ago
I stupidly only numbered 5 instead of 6 above the line in the Senate. Is my vote counted?
Even if I numbered 6, I risked exhausting my vote since I did not number Lab or Lib anywhere. One really should number as many as possible.
briongloid@aussie.zone 1 month ago
sqgl@beehaw.org 1 month ago
Like the last missing?
briongloid@aussie.zone 1 month ago
He was pretty adamant that it would be included, so long as the preference flow didn’t go to that round.
Not sure with the Senate tho, that was about the lower house.
sqgl@beehaw.org 1 month ago
I was asking about Senate but it is good to know about Reps too. Mind you, it isn’t hard to fill all the boxes on that tiny ballot.
StudChud@aussie.zone 1 month ago
It’ll still count afaik
sqgl@beehaw.org 1 month ago
Although my intention was clear I don’t think my vote will count. This is what the AEC says when I practice, numbering only 5 boxes. Image
And in the section on “vote saving provisions” it says:
For Senate ballot papers the requirement for a formal vote is that when voting above the line, at least the numbers 1 to 6 shall be marked in the squares on the ballot paper (see subsection 239(2)).
For voting below the line, the requirement is that at least the numbers 1 to 12 are marked in the squares printed on the ballot paper (see subsection 239(1)). However, there is a vote savings measure that can operate where only one square is marked above the line (see section 269), or where voting below the line, at least six squares have been marked 1 to 6 using consecutive numbers (see section 268A).
Pilk@aussie.zone 1 month ago
Quote from page 14 of the “Ballot paper formality guidelines” published by the AEC on 14 August 2023:
In other words, if you only numbered 5 boxes above the line it does still count, it just exhausts sooner.
Their practice voting tool has sensibly omitted the finer details, they always encourage people to vote “correctly”.
Regardless of you definitely won’t make the same mistake next time I’m sure.
StudChud@aussie.zone 1 month ago
Ah so I was right ah ha!
That’s all I’m taking away from this 😂
sqgl@beehaw.org 1 month ago
Thanks a lot. I am just one insignificant vote but it has bothered me disproportionately all afternoon.
StudChud@aussie.zone 1 month ago
Oops well, my bad. There’s always next election 😂