In short:

Almost half of those who voted in the federal election in a small northern NSW town had their votes declared invalid.

Residents who voted at the Missabotti voting centre say AEC staff provided them incorrect how-to-vote information.

What's next?

The AEC is investigating the allegations of voting misinformation.

top 11 comments

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[–] MisterFrog@aussie.zone 1 points 5 hours ago

It's not unheard of to call a by-election over something like this. That's what they ought to do in my opinion. That and review training procedures

[–] zero_gravitas@aussie.zone 5 points 3 days ago (5 children)

What I find more disturbing is that this could have happened anywhere. Do people really not read the instructions on the ballot?

[–] sqgl@beehaw.org 6 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

I followed the instructions. I don't like those Arabic numerals so I used Roman instead.

[–] MisterFrog@aussie.zone 1 points 5 hours ago

Funnily enough, this would be a valid vote, under the rules. As long as it's abundantly obvious what the intended order is

[–] spiffmeister@aussie.zone 5 points 3 days ago

Missabotti resident Spencer Parry said he, too, was given wrong information about how to vote, but decided to follow the instructions on the ballot paper to number every candidate.

Well at least one person did.

[–] Tenderizer@aussie.zone 4 points 3 days ago

Apparently some people did, confronted the AEC staff about it, and were told to "just number 1-6".

[–] njm1314@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

If the Proctors of a ballot location give you incorrect information I don't think you can blame the voters.

[–] zero_gravitas@aussie.zone 2 points 3 days ago

Oh, to be clear, I think it's absolutely a problem when AEC staff are giving incorrect information. However, I'd like to think that if I were in the same situation I'd have the sense to trust the printed information over what some random temporary employee said.

[–] Zagorath@aussie.zone 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Do people really not read the instructions on the ballot?

I never have. I already know how to vote, from over a decade of voting, and even longer of discussing elections and having an amateur interest in psephology.

I don't listen to what the AEC workers say either.

[–] zero_gravitas@aussie.zone 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I already know how to vote, from over a decade of voting, and even longer of discussing elections and having an amateur interest in psephology.

Haha, well, yes, same. But imagining I'm the average disengaged voter who hasn't planned their vote ahead of time and I'm arriving at the polling place not totally clear on what I'm doing? I think I'd probably read the instructions. Maybe I'm kidding myself though.

[–] hanrahan@slrpnk.net 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Haha, well, yes, same. But imagining I'm the average disengaged voter who hasn't planned their vote ahead of time

If you've put that much thought into our democracy, does your vote matter anyway ?

But I do think AEC staff giving wrong info is terrible.