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  From: David Newall <davidn@rebel.net.au>
  To  : michaels@packet.obtero.com.au
  Date: Sun, 5 Sep 1999 11:15:06 +0930 (CST)

Re: Australian Censorship

> I haven't had the pleasure of voting here yet, so I've a question:  Is
> there a 'none of the above' option when voting?

Sure, though it's not made obvious.  You are not obliged to vote, only to
attend a polling place.  Don't like any of the above?  Attend, get your
ballot paper and destroy it.  Alternatively mark the paper illegally
for example number all of the candidates with zero (c.f. destroy the
ballot paper.)  My past experience scrutineering suggests that either
of these make a total waste of your vote.

For more effective use of your vote give your highest preference to a
candidate who cannot possibly reach a quota (upper house), or gain a
majority (lower house).  This forces your second preference to be used.
Give your second preference to another candidate who cannot possibly
achieve a quote or majority, thus forcing your third preference to
be used.  Candidates who achieve their quota or majority on the basis of
preferences, particularly deep preferences, do take notice because it says
one thing clearly: It says that they got in under protest.  Be careful
with this technique as there is a risk of electing somebody unpalatable.

Be especially careful with upper house votes as the system of quotas
is quite different to the simple majority needed in the lower house.
In the lower house vote, where only one candidate can be elected, that
candidate is the one with at least half the votes plus one.  First past
the post wins; end of race.  In the upper house, where multiple candidates
are elected, a candidate is elected when he or she achieves a quota, which
is the number of votes divided by the number of positions plus one vote.
All excess votes, that is votes above the quota, are distributed pro-rata:
if a quota is 100 votes and a candidate gets 200, then all 200 ballot
papers (for that candidate) are distributed to the next preference at
a value of one half vote.  If you only like one upper house candidate,
but must elect two, you probably will give some part of your vote to
somebody you don't want.

I'm unsure how to safely slap an upper house candidate while still
electing him or her.  Obviously the same general strategy is the only one
available (candidates who get in on first preferences feel comfortable;
those who get in on third, fourth or (gulp) fifth preferences are very
nervous.) but it takes much, much more thinking.  Without a doubt the
quota system works well for independents and minority parties.

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