Sunday, October 14, 2012

Making voting easy

Port Phillip has attendance voting. Most other councils have postal voting. Some people say that attendance voting contributes to Port Phillip's low voter turnout. It is more likely because of the high number of renters in Port Phillip. Postal voting, in my opinion, leads to a proliferation of candidates since all they have to do is write a 150 word statement, pay their deposit, and appear on the ballot paper. That makes the election outcome uncertain and dependent on a complicated exchange of preferences.
In contrast, we have three candidates here in Sandridge.
The Victorian Electoral Commission offers a range of voting opportunities for Port Phillip's voters.
From tomorrow, you can vote at your convenience at the Port Melbourne Town Hall, at 333 Bay  between 9 am and 5 pm - upstairs in the Council Chamber.
You can also request a postal vote* if your work or other circumstances make it hard for you to get to the Town Hall, or if you will be out of town on election day.
If you like the buzz of election day you can, of course, also vote on the 27th - election day.
The Victorian Electoral Commission website is an essential reference point if you have any questions about the voting process.
https://www.vec.vic.gov.au
* postal voting closes at 12 noon on Thursday 25 October

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