Sunday 16 March 2008

Review of election

There have already been calls for a review into this weekend's elections.

This was the first time an election has been run by the Electoral Commission of Queensland.

Greg Hallam of the Local Government Association says that there have already been a number complaints. "A review is needed. Clearly, there needs to be a complete review of the whole process," Hallam says.

There was a lot of problems around postal voting and people not being able to get through to the ECQ.

"There is enough serious concern out there. We want a full review of the conduct of the election so we do not make the same mistakes," Greg Hallam says.

This is the first time ECQ have run the election. Councils have run elections in the past and have more localised knowledge.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have two criticisms to make of yesterday's voting process.

Firstly, the voting forms and the ballot boxes were not colour coded in such a way as to easily drop the right forms in the right boxes. You had to look at the print on the forms, then the print on the boxes to match.

Secondly, the attendant who crossed our names off, said " just put a 1" on each form.

I questioned here about preferential voting and then she admitted "yes that is OK too".

If preferential voting is allowed, then this process needs to be given as an option as well to voters, especially young voters.

Anonymous said...

Re anon two criticisms
/preferences
Agreed something needs to be done.
I am having a similar experience.
Why haven't the community been told about the byrne council prefences,ie,developers/restaurants etc.
Especially by the Cairns Post.
That's giving an option to voters as well.
Frustrating isn't it!

Anonymous said...

Lets watch ECQ carefully ... if Vals vote dramatically falls away on Postal and Preference votes there must be an immediate recount with scrutineers from Cairns 1st

Anonymous said...

I voted at Smithfield. There were two forms both a different colours. I read that I could either put 1 or a series of numbers of preference. I chose to simply put 1. When I went to the Ballot Return Bins they were different colours corresponding to my Ballot Papers.. I had no problem with getting the right form in the right box. They were also noted "Mayor" and “Councilor”. I then drove to Milla Milla where I was a Booth Captain. Afterwards I scrutinized till the Ballot Papers were counted. There was only one Ballot Paper in the wrong box for Councilor that was an informal vote which had graffiti written across it. The corresponding Ballot paper was found in the Mayors Box also with Graffiti written on it. All the Ballot Papers were accounted for. Have you got a cousin in Millaa Anon? If not what is your problem?

Anonymous said...

The comments from Anon have been confirmed to me by a worker at one of the booths who queried why other workers were telling voters when asked "just put 1" rather than it was optional preferential. Yes it was stated in writing for those who took time to be certain.

The other issue apparently was people turning up at booths to be told they couldn't vote at that booth. This wasn't just related to locals and divisions but visitors from throughout Qld.

It is now clear that there was an extraordinarily low voter turnout not just in Cairns but throughout Qld which has drawn requests for an enquiry from the LGA.

Interesting also to see Tony Mooney hammered in Townsville and the nations longest standing Labor administration out on its arse ....

Anonymous said...

if wot people above are saying is true, the vote 1 and prefence stuff, then the election is invalid, and we need to go again.