Donkey Vote Wins in South Australia

The final results from South Australia’s recent Federal Election have revealed that the “Donkey Vote Wins in South Australia” – voters numbering their preferences straight down the ballot paper – played a decisive role in determining the outcomes in two key seats.

Labor has narrowly secured Hindmarsh by just over 100 votes, while the Liberals have taken Kingston by a similar margin. In both electorates, the winning candidates benefited from a small but significant donkey vote, highlighting once again how ballot-paper position can influence election results.

Calls for Electoral Reform

The Electoral Reform Society of South Australia (ERSSA) is renewing its call for changes to the State’s electoral rules to ensure that ballot order does not unfairly advantage any candidate.

“It is absurd that the draw for places on the ballot paper can determine the result,” said Mr Deane Crabb, Secretary of the Society.

“Usually the donkey vote is worth at least 200 votes – enough to swing a marginal seat.”

Mr Crabb said the solution lies in adopting the Robson Rotation, a system already used in some Australian jurisdictions.

“The Robson Rotation needs to be introduced so that no one candidate is favoured by being listed in the top position – or any other position – on the ballot paper,” he explained.

“That way, the outcome reflects the views of those voters who have real preferences among the candidates, not the luck of the draw.”

What Is the Robson Rotation?

The Robson Rotation is a method of printing multiple versions of the ballot paper, with the order of candidates’ names rotated so that each appears equally often in the most prominent positions.

This system ensures that any advantage gained from being listed first (or last) is neutralised across the electorate. It has been successfully implemented in Tasmania and the ACT, where it has improved fairness and voter confidence in election outcomes.

A Question of Fairness

The ERSSA argues that the current system – where a random draw determines candidate order – can distort results in closely contested seats, undermining public trust in the democratic process.

Mr Crabb emphasised that reform is long overdue:

“When a few hundred donkey votes can decide an election, it’s clear that change is needed. South Australia should modernise its voting process so that every result genuinely reflects the will of the people – not the roll of a dice.”

Background

• The “Donkey Vote Wins in South Australia” occurs when voters simply number candidates in the order they appear on the ballot paper, rather than expressing genuine preferences.
• Electoral studies suggest that this effect can be worth 2–3% of the total vote, enough to change the result in marginal electorates.
• The Electoral Reform Society of South Australia has long advocated for the Robson Rotation as part of broader efforts to improve fairness, representation, and transparency in the electoral process.