The Electoral Reform Society of South Australia (ERSSA) is calling on voters to preference voting Australia take control of their own preferences and not allow political parties to dictate how their votes are distributed in the upcoming Federal Election.
“There’s been a lot of debate in this election about preferences – particularly about minor parties directing preferences to Labor or Liberal in different seats,” said Deane Crabb, Secretary of the Society.
“People often ask minor parties, ‘What do you do with your preferences?’ Instead, they should be asking all political parties, ‘What do you suggest I do with my preferences?’”
Voters – Not Parties – Control Preferences
Mr Crabb emphasised that voting is simple, and that every voter has the right to choose their own order of preferences – regardless of the “how to vote” cards handed out by parties on election day.
“You do not have to follow any party’s instructions to cast a valid vote,” he said.
He offered the following advice to voters:
- House of Representatives (green ballot paper): Number all the candidates in your personal order of preference.
- Senate (white ballot paper): Vote below the line and again number all candidates in your own order of preference.
“As long as you number every box in the order you choose, your vote will be valid,” Mr Crabb said.
End Party Control of Preferences
The ERSSA believes that this should be the last election in which parties play politics with voters’ preferences.
“It is outrageous that voters are forced to number virtually every square on the ballot paper just to have their vote counted as formal,” Mr Crabb said.
“This rule reflects the stranglehold party machines have on the electoral system.”
He argued that the next Parliament should move to return control of preferences to voters through a package of reforms, including:
- Optional preferential voting, allowing voters to stop numbering when they wish;
- The Robson Rotation, which rotates candidates’ names on the ballot paper to prevent any positional advantage; and
- The abolition of ‘above-the-line’ Senate voting, which currently enables parties to control large blocks of preferences through prearranged deals.
“The wishes of voters – not the tactics of party machines – should be the driving force in future elections,” Mr Crabb said.
Background
Under Australia’s current preferential system, parties can strongly influence election outcomes by directing how preferences flow between candidates through registered voting tickets and “how-to-vote” cards.
The Electoral Reform Society of South Australia has long argued that this practice distorts voter intent and undermines the principle of individual choice at the ballot box.
The Society continues to advocate for reforms that simplify voting, reduce party control, and ensure that every preference truly reflects the will of the voter.
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