matty wrote on Apr 14
th, 2011 at 4:11pm:
Due to her not being allowed to have her name above the line. Thousands of people put a "1" next her name, instead of above the line, and therefore, their votes were considered invalid. So don't say that she didn't get enough votes to get into parliament. She didn't get enough formal votes, not not enough votes per se. She's inquiring into this, because their intention was clear.
Here are some of my thoughts on the matter.
Going into what is referred to as “the pressing of the button”, when the NSW Electoral Commissioner authorises the commencement of the computer count and, preferences are distributed and transferred, Pauline Hanson was leading, for the 20th position, in the total number of First Preference votes where a first preference was marked above the line against the Group or, below the line against a candidate in the Group. Her lead over Labor was 57,170 votes, Greens 15,466 votes and Liberal/Nationals 7,536 votes.
There were a total of 308 computer counts before the 21st position was determined. Pauline had remained in contention, for the last two seats, right up until count 306. Family First’s, Rev Gordon Moyes, was then excluded and on count 307 the transfer of the Rev Moyes’ 64,738 ballot papers were transferred to the next available preference. This resulted in 569 votes transferring to Pauline, 3196 to the Greens and 3,158 votes to the Nationals and, at the following count, number 308, candidate Pauline Hanson was excluded. As there remained only four candidates in the count and four positions were still to be filled all four remaining candidates were elected – position 18 with 166,112 votes, 19, with 134,804 votes, 20 with 105,472 votes & 21 with 104,341 votes – a quota was 185,274. None of the last four candidates received a quota. Pauline had finished with 103,035 votes just 1,306 votes behind the Nationals candidate for the final place and 2,437 behind the Greens – 20th position.
*Voters enrolled: 4,635,810
*Voted: 4,306,285 or a 92.89% turnout
*Formal votes: 4,076,024
*Informal votes: 230,231
*Did not vote: 329,525 or 7.11% of enrolled voters.
The present electoral system in NSW is, I think, archaic. I believe, it favours the major political parties and both disadvantages and discriminates against groups of candidates such as “GROUP J” – Pauline Hanson and, “GROUP C” – John Hatton. Why shouldn’t these groups have been permitted to have their lead candidate’s name above the line? Moreover, why shouldn’t these candidates have been allowed to print the word “Independent” alongside their name? The electoral system in New South Wales, I believe, is unfair and needs to be urgently reviewed and amended to reflect voter’s expectations of it being a fair and transparent system, which it is not. Don’t hold your breath however, that anything will change anytime soon. Remember, “If nothing changes, nothing changes”. It is ridiculous that preferences should decide the outcome on which candidate/s are elected. The fact is, Pauline Hanson outpolled every other candidate Below the Line First Preference votes and yet still she was not elected – why?