Why do Australians vote with Pencils.

It doesn't meet the definition you provided which was excusing a fault or an offense.

 

Putting pencils in voting booths is the fault. Of course, you will say that it is not a fault and then provide your excuse for why it isn't...

 

Where is the fault of putting pencils in voting booths?

 

*sigh* I shouldn't have to explain this to you...I'll make it simple.



Would you write out a business contract in pencil?

 

No, because you wouldn't be able to read it if someone rubbed it out. However, there is no law saying ballots must be cast with a pencil. Further, the ballots don't count if they show signs of being rubbed out and heads would roll if there were ballots showing tampering.

Considering Australia's elections are counted as more secure than pretty much everywhere else on the planet this is not an excuse, it is FACT, something which I'm beginning to learn Americans make excuses for not understanding.

 

What you are also failing to "get" is the number of people voting - virtually everyone who is eligible

See we have mandatory voting - which makes it much much much harder for the books to be "cooked"

We also have volunteer scrutineers, from all parties watching as the votes are counted - these people have the right to review any vote cast and ask for it to be excluded Plus using and eraser, especially so that nothing "shows" takes time - and there just is not that time between opening the ballot boxes and start of counting

 

Yeah, ballots close at like 5pm and we know who has won in most seats by about 6.30pm.

 

Good grief! Is it possible that priniciple will win out over popularism in the Labour blood-letting spree?

The quote I liked the most on Ocker TV was one that announced convincingly that people who had no real acquaintace with Rudd loved him. While those who knew him properly despised him.

This tells you a lot about politics. Demagogues are not called gods for nothing. Though nothing salutes them.

 

Excuses, excuses...

 

Explanations, explanations.........'

 

Now they're making excuses for their excuses.

 

tom you old fool ,well what a difference a week makes have you heard the ALP Government is collapsing into a bickering heap of individual personalities .

Fantastic news Tom as the Capitialist political system rests upon the existance of the ALp,130years of these Rightwing Social reformist dingbats has come to an end they have knifed in the back the Australian Workers for generations ,and last week they get up and politically Implode.

Expect the same from the Tearepublicans as it is a Global not national process going on regime after traditional regime and political parties Imploding all over the place ,its OK when they do the stence is putrid ,but it clears leaving just one Party standing ,One Target left for the Working Class to destroy.Capitialism needs a 2 Party system for a reason and that reason is present a figleaf of Democracy.

It may be a revolution going on what you reckon? Political Parties imploding everywhere.Good hey,the republicans are next I reckon.

 

Are you familiar with the term "scrutineer"?

http://www.aec.gov.au/voting/scrutineers.htm

Perhaps you should learn a little bit about what goes on in an election before making silly posts.

In order for someone to change a vote with an eraser, each candidates' scrutineer would have to be in on it along with all representatives from the AEC sitting at the counting table.

 

"The provision of pencils in polling booths is a requirement of section 206 of the Electoral Act. There is, however nothing to prevent an elector from marking his or her ballot paper with a pen if they so wish. The AEC has found from experience that pencils are the most reliable implements for marking ballot papers. Pencils are practical because they don't run out and the polling staff check and sharpen pencils as necessary throughout election day. Pencils can be stored between elections and they work better in tropical areas. The security of your vote is guaranteed as the storage and counting of ballots is tightly scrutinised."

http://www.aec.gov.au/faqs/voting_australia.htm#pencils

 

I don't know how many times it has been said in this thread already but it probably needs repeating.

Pencils are a lot more reliable than electronic voting machines.

 

Now they're repeating their excuses...again.

 

Question from OP:

"Why do Australians vote with Pencils?"

Answer:

The reasons Australians vote with pencils are as follows:

"The provision of pencils in polling booths is a requirement of section 206 of the Electoral Act. There is, however nothing to prevent an elector from marking his or her ballot paper with a pen if they so wish. The AEC has found from experience that pencils are the most reliable implements for marking ballot papers. Pencils are practical because they don't run out and the polling staff check and sharpen pencils as necessary throughout election day. Pencils can be stored between elections and they work better in tropical areas. The security of your vote is guaranteed as the storage and counting of ballots is tightly scrutinised."

http://www.aec.gov.au/faqs/voting_australia.htm#pencils

And there we have it.

No excuses (as there is no "fault"), just an explanation.

The AEC isn't in the business of providing excuses, just facts.

Not sure why the word 'excuses' is being bandied about.

In fact, there's no excuse for the blatant misuse of the word.

 

Australia has among the most secure voting system in the world.

On the other hand the US.................

 

In addition to the habit of making excuses common amongst many Aussies, I'm also noticing a propensity to deflect.

It's funny how accurate my comment that I made back in 2010 has proven to be:

Add predictable to the list.

 

What deflection? The facts have been presented.

 

What deflection, you ask? How many times has the United States been brought up out of the blue in this thread about Australia?

If you were in a thread about US voting procedures and people defending the US system started making unsolicited comments about how screwed the Australian system is, wouldn't you consider that deflection?

 

Because manual balots are alot harder to fake. You have to actually stuff the balot box......

 

I suppose I would. In fact, yes, I would.

 

Go easy tom old matey ,i went to court in old sydney town the other day ,nowhere in the entire building was there a Australian flag or a NSW one even .

Only the symbols of Queen Elizabeth of England.Could you please help the otherthrow of the Monarchy of England is very overdue.

Can we complete the National questions involved in the Former Nation known as Australia,

PS,i have to live amongst them and the best they have is Julia "all my collegues are stupid "gillard ,we all hate the prime minister even the rich folk don't like her .

So as an election is out of the Question that leaves revolution ,if you would want the detail of the present Political Crisis of the Gillard Government its that no-one trusts a single word coming from the Prime minister!

With good reason backed by everything she says or does ,eg she just insulted factional intrests within the ALP ,political suicide elevating a discredited former NSW Premier Bob Carr from the retirement in disgrace, to foriegn Minister overnight.

Never before in Australian Political history has this happened ,amazing corruption of the Political process even of a Capitialist Nature.

 

yes denial of history is a National pastime welcome to the Land of OZ!

crickey fair dinkum stone the flamin crows ,yous now a honourary Ausstraallin.

Hey come visit its that inane ,help this poor refugee ,pls help ,the Penal colony of England is sinking .'s of the World save us .

a Socialist Republic,instead of Constitutional MONARCHY.??

Sounds good to me ,and to all that say WHY?

JULIA GILLARD and the continued existance of the ALP is why!

Can't wait for the destruction of the Liberals \Nationals either .Oh bringing down Liberal governments is EASY.No-one likes them either.'s particularly .