donkey votes

[Rowan]

I'm confused, and not for the first or last time!!!!

If in an electioin you cast an invalid vote it is called a donkey vote, but if you cast a valid vote it doesnt have a title.
Yet voting correctly for most politicians is voting for an "ass" anyway (as in a mule) .....................................................................

so why aren't they called "ass" votes???????????? :D

[AlexS]

Because the asses objected...they reckoned it slandered them!

[craigb]

Sorry Rowan, a Donkey vote is not invalid. It's when you just vote 1 2 3 4 in order. IE you just follow tha card. I will still be counted.

An invalid vote, like you don't mark the paper for instance, is an informal vote.

[oges]

doesnt matter who you vote for a damn politician always gets in! :D

[bitingmidge]

Just an observation, or a rhetorical question perhaps:

Is there a connection between-

The heading of this thread : Donkey Votes

and that oh so annoying euphamism for "Election"; Australia Votes?

Why oh why do we have to replace one perfectly good word - "Election" with what could be the new name for the Australian Electoral Commission, (using the GPO/Australia Post example!)

Cheers,

P

[vsquizz]

An Australia Vote or Aussie Ballot as it is called in the States originates from that great Aussie invention the Ballot Box whereby your vote was anonomous. Invented in the 1850's to prevent the old show of hands and local officials applying peer pressure to the ballot.


Cheers

[wonnie]

from: http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Australian_electoral_system

The challenge of numbering the ballot paper leads a certain number of voters to simply number the candidates from 1 to 10 (or whatever) straight down the ballot paper. This is called the donkey vote. It gives some advantage (perhaps 1 or 2%) to the candidate at the top of the ballot paper. Before 1984, candidates appeared in alphabetical order, which led to a profusion of Aaronses and Abbotts contesting elections. (The most famous example of this was the 1937 election, in which the Labor Senate ticket in New South Wales consisted of candidates named Armour, Ashley, Armstrong and Arnold: all were elected.) Since 1984 ballot paper order has been decided by lot

[jackiew]

was told by my history teacher in the uk that if we ever found ourselves voting in an election where we believed that none of the candidates were worth voting for then we should take the opportunity to communicate with all of them by writing something appropriate on the ballot paper.

Apparently where it is not clear who the voter has voted for all of the candidates have to examine the ballot paper to agree that it can be disregarded. Don't know if this is the case here in oz. A good opportunity to let them know that you disagree with their policies on plastic bags for instance :p .

I get to vote for the first time here in the coming election and I have to say you guys couldn't have made it more complicated if you'd tried :eek:

[silentC]

Do they actually have elections in the UK? I thought the British government was made up of decrepit old men (and women) in tweed jackets, there by virtue of an accident of birth. Or maybe that's the board of the MCC. I get those two mixed up sometimes.

[AlexS]

Don't vote, it only encourages them!

[echnidna]

Heeeeeeeeeeee..haaaaaaawwwwwwwww

[Termite]

One wants to be a little USA.
One wants to pull the shutters down and go on our own.
One wants to save the trees and legalise drugs.
One is most of the time ******.(drunk)
THE DONKEY LOOKS GOOD TO ME, at least he won't s**t on us any more than the others.

[Kev Y.]

I hope you all realise that the easiest (sp?) way to get your sitting member to work is NOT TO VOTE FOR HIM!

I am always amused by those people who choose to submit a donkey vote, a paper with no marks at all or some other dememted idea.

They are usually the first ones to complain when the elected political party passes a stupid law which ultimatly effects them.

Voteing is a painful process for us but one we must endure, my daughter who is 18 has to face this prospect for the first time this year, however when she was 15 and starting to develope a social conscience, she asked "HOW did you choose who to vote for, when it was obvious that BOTH sides were lying just to get you to vote for them?"

I responded with something along the lines of.. vote for the one who's lies appeal to you the best!.

[craigb]

IMO, unless you happen to live in a marginal electorate, your vote is largely irrelevent.

Safe seats rarely change hands.

Unforunately, I've somehow managed to contrive to alway live in a safe seat :(

Craig

[Ben from Vic.]

They are usually the first ones to complain when the elected political party passes a stupid law which ultimatly effects them.

This is true.

It is my honest opinion that those who intentionaly cast a dud vote are not really entitled to complain about anything political as they have made their opinion not count. ;)


Ben

[Little Festo]

Maybe we are the "Donkeys' having to vote for this sad lot. Unfortunatly it's becoming quite American as we seem to be voting for the Party Leaders rather than the local member. It seems to be accepted/expected that our pollies will lie.

Well I had my 10 seconds of fame the on Monday. We had a visit for Mr Howard complete with his entourage and I told the PM where to stand - and he did!! (Had to take some official photos)


Peter

[JackoH]

At the risk of making myself eveen more unpopular(in spite of my abject apology in the bandsaw forum). What the heck has this got to do with woodwork? :confused:
The rules for this forum are:- "ONE STIPULATION: Keep it about woodwork and related woodies stuff."
I suppose you could claim that they all have sawdust for brains or are just dummies. :(

[echnidna]

Ok just to keep this lead on woodwork.

I will vote for whoever gives me a nice new workshop gratis.

[vsquizz]

But the Ballot Boxes aren't even made of wood anymore.

Cheers

[E. maculata]

[QUOTE=John Hambly. What the heck has this got to do with woodwork? :confused:
The rules for this forum are:- "ONE STIPULATION: Keep it about woodwork and related woodies stuff."

Sorry John, But from where I stand it has everything to do with where we source our more hardy & decorative timbers from.
If you don't believe me look at "banksia Bobs'' past handiwork in my neck of the woods at previous state elections.
Pollies grandstanding on evironmental issues (interpret as suburban guilt trips)which they or their "expert" advisors have absolutely no comprehension of is forcing us into some very poor outcomes for both the ecology of the eastern seaboard and its inhabitants.

Bruce C.
who IS politically active in both local and state politics cause the B%$#t&rds p!22ed me off years ago. To what avail I'm not sure

[forunna]

Jackiew,
different here. Informal votes are decided at each poling place by the staff there as they count and the numbers are phoned in to the central office for collating.
everything is checked again later of course but I doubt the candidates would see them. there are very STRICT rules, ONLY poling place staff are allowed to touch any paper, candidates observers are allowed to look only and any dispute is decided by the officer in charge of the poling place

[adrian]

doesnt matter who you vote for a damn politician always gets in! :D

Not if you vote for Pauline. If she was PM we wouldn't have a GST on fish and chips and prisoners would get better food.
Vote early and vote often!!

[craigb]

Vote early and vote often!!

Good advice, but far far too late,,,

[adrian]

Good advice, but far far too late,,,

If you are an Afghan all you have to do is have access to soap and water and you can vote as many times as you like.
Those US and UN observers really know how to run an election.