Tuesday, August 6, 2013

quicko: election upcoming

So this last weekend the Australian government announced an election.  For September.  2013.

(Yep, that'd be roughly a month out.)

Somehow, suddenly, it hit someone:  time to vote!  Make haste, make haste!

And so, on September 7, all Australians are required to vote.

At least this time they get to vote instead of having the leaders of various parties go changing it all around on them willy-nilly some drizzly (or sunny, it doesn't really seem to matter) morning.  Wonder how long it'll all last this time.

Incidentally, it is a pretty contentious decision coming up.  Basically (as I think is usually the case worldwide) nobody remotely likes either of the two major candidates (though, again, it's not the candidates, but the party, the people are voting for ... though you wouldn't really know that from the campaigns ... not that I've actually really noticed either campaign, but my friends are certainly vocal in their sentiments).  Not sure who will win, but I get the impression nobody's going to be happy about it.

3 comments:

Laetitia :-) said...

I'm in the marginal electorate of Forde (you may have seen something in the southern media about it). We've had a previous premier parachuted into the seat as a candidate, shoving aside the pre-selected local guy. I was having trouble as to whether to put the local candidate for that party before or after the local incumbent (other major party) - my decision is made - I can't stand the parachute guy. Their plan backfired with this voter.

I'd actually really like federal elections to work the same as our state and local elections with optional preferential voting. It means that if you don't want a particular candidate, even if your preferred one doesn't get in, you don't have to give them a number. Sadly, I have to put both major party people somewhere if I want to vote for someone else at all (alternatively I could just turn up, get my name marked off and then not write anything in).

Mom said...

Sounds like a complicated process.

Laetitia :-) said...

'Mom' - it's not that complicated for our House of Represntatives. See this comic: http://www.chickennation.com/2013/08/18/you-cant-waste-your-vote/
I don't know how true the maxim of 'don't waste your vote' is in the USA but you'll get the idea of how it works here.
Our Senate is another kettle of fish in terms of voting though.