Why do Australians vote with Pencils.

Has anyone else wondered if previous 'Close Elections' could have had manufactured results in Australia.

Isn't Ink used in Legal Documents because it can't be rubbed out and changed like Lead Pencils can.

I can't think of anywhere else that uses Pencils to mark what is supposed to be the Very Heart of Democratic due process and political Rights.

And then to top it off they put the Papers in Cardboard boxes ,that are locked by a 1mm thick Plastic Pull tie.

is it just me or is it pretty dodgey,particularly concidering the time for returns to be counted from far flung Isolated undermanned Booths.

 

Wow! I never knew that. Voting in pencil is one of the more ridiculous things that I have heard as of late.

Complacency seems to be king in the land of Oz.

 

We hang people in polling booths found with erasers, end of story.

 

Sure you do, pal. We'll count you as the first of many Aussies surely to come and make excuses for such a silly practice as they always do any time anything about Australian government is criticized. Mak and philxx being two notable exceptions.

 

I have often wonder what would happen if I used a pen to cast my vote. Would they ignore my vote? The problem with writing it in pencil is some Liberal (the bad guys over here) could be counting my vote and might rub it out and put in a different vote.

Just sneak a pen into the booth with you. Or use the pencil but press down hard and make it really dark so its impossible to rub out.

And yes, voting with pencils is stupid and there is no reason for it.

 

I had that very argument,in2007 and was told by theScrutineers that it would be deemed informal.

And if I didn't mark with a pencil as I was legally bound ,that the police would be called.

I made them mark my name on the role [With Pen} took the papers as they were handed and instantly deposited them.

Turned around and left![true story] Matraville Public school Kingsford Smith electorate.

 

I might do my vote in pen this year. Unless they can justify why I should be using pencil.

 

All ballots are read in front of scrutineers from all political parties.

Nobody has a snowballs chance in hell of erasing a vote.

Pencils are provided in each booth as the cheapest option.

Of course the American option to restrict voting is to require each vote to be cast with a solid Gold parker pen.

 

The system has worked well for as many years as I can remember with never any real substantial vote rigging. The fact that it has served so well is a tribute not only to the basic honesty of Australians but to our democratic system. Other countries have more complicated systems which have proven themselves so open to fraud on a large scale.

 

Nah. The Yanks use electronic voting machines. Much easier to rig, as we have all heard.

Did I hear someone mention Forida?

 

Dear Tom, Thats not the half of it!

not only are the citizens of OZ ,forced to mark their ballot papers with pencil,all the scrutineers who count the votes ,have to be members of the political parties in the Election.

And as the funding of the 2 major parties comes from the tax payer,and the smaller ones rely on volunteers,then it is the norm that the people who count the votes,as they are taken from the Cardboard Ballot Boxes.

Are Card carrying ALP,Liberal and National Party members.

Down with the Political Duopoly!

The Electoral process itself is a sham!

Yes Tom an Intelligent person as yourself has drawn the Correct conclusion ,The Elections in Australia Lend themselves to being RIGGED!

 

Maka you are becoming so radical in your old age!

Good on yer babe!

 

Feel free to take in your own pen. But the real reason is that no-one is going to flog the pencils whereas if it were pens we would double the cost of elections

 

So you think it OK that we mark our Ballot Papers with PENCIL.You truely see nothing wrong with that?

Is their something they are putting in the water,its a common theme as soon as even the most minute criticism ,reasonable beyond Argument ,of any Government is raised .

Automatically some silly nationalist will come forward to defend the indefencable.

Talk about the Intellectual decay of Nationalist Ideology!

Cricky!,Stone the Crows.

 

pens also run out much quicker, increasing the cost of an election

we vote in pencil in uk elections as well, it's not an issue at all

 

With the price of wood as it is ,and the moves to price carbon with the global warming debate.

I wouldn't be to sure about that!

as with all things it is based in History,

http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa101697.htm

so prior to 1938,your argument may have had credibility,since then it has had none.

We still use the same method of voting federally since 1901.

whats that 109 years and no change,in fact the state elections that preceeded the Federal Probably had fingerprints or marks made in INK.

 

There you go a throwback to colonalism.

Does any country mark votes in crayon?

Or chalk?

Would be pretty and more artistic.

 

theres no reason to fix something that isnt broken. Our democratic process is the envy of the world.

 

The cost of printing and advertising is $23million ALP,$21million Lib \Nats,then come the Greens at $4 million.all from the Tax payer.

Then on top of that each member of parliament,gets $75 000 for printing costs.

so thats 75 000 times 226 equals $16 950 000,approx $75 million before a single pencil is bought.Cost est 2004 .$117million


http://blogpond.com.au/2007/11/27/cost-of-federal-elections/

http://inside.org.au/under-the-radar-direct-mail-and-the-election/

a mere triffle really!

 

And they have been rigged, have no doubt about. How do you think the world got George Jr, if not by rigging the machines?

 

just remember who complained about that and why..

 

Do you have any proof of that?

 

Frodo as a scrutineer in a couple of elections for the Socialist Equality Party,i can tell you that most polling booths will only have Alp and Liberals ,watching the counting and the people doing the counting are usally in some way connected as well .family ,friends,it usally happens that way.

watch were the people doing the How to votes end up going after polling is closed.Dare you to hang around ready for a shock!

 

About 30years and 10 elections as a candidate,scrutineer,campaign Manager and how to vote hander outerer!

does that qualify Me!

not taking into account the 2 other elections when i was 12 and 15 years of age.

In 1975 when I was 12 it was the election when the democratically elected Government was removed by a Coup!

I handed out for The ALP and Whitlam!

Not to sound like I don't think you know what the hell you are saying but you are qualified ,How?

In making these Judgements?

Planet eARTH TO THE bjORG

I think you may be being a little Arrogant!

If not rude !

my party the SEP raises every cent it spends by politcal donations of Workers and supporters.

 

bad method of polemic ,what the hell relevance is the Undemocratic debacle called the US election ,to the Undemocratic debacle called the Australian Election ,they can be both corrupt.

In fact nationalism is the epitomy of corruption,the elections express it in more concentrated form then usuall and that is in the US,Australia as well as Norway and every other country of the World!

The very system on which all the disparite methods of voting ,base themselves on, is corrupt.