The " Donkey Vote " !

It is generally conceded that the result of the July 2 Federal election will be decided in a scattering of " marginal " electorates in New South Wales and Queensland.  In the vast number of what are considered " Safe " seats the electorate contains a preponderate of voters who support one side of politics and change is unlikely.

It is disturbing to learn that polling has disclosed that in many marginal electorates seven out of ten of those eligible to cast a vote have no idea who is the sitting member representing them, and can not name any of the contenders seeking that job.

It seems that Australia has adopted a version of the American presidential voting style where media concentration is focused on the leaders of the major political parties and what they have to say will decide the vote.  In most cases, local issues take no part in the campaign.   Only a small percentage of voters heed the issues canvassed and many votes will be determined by party politics.

Every election contains large numbers of people who are voting for the first time.  Some have had their eighteenth birthday and others have gained citizenship - and with it the right to vote.  Many will be influenced by family voting patterns while others whose language is not English will find it a bewildering process.

Unfortunately, the promises made by politicians are not set in stone.  In modern politics the party leader sets party policies and it is left to the voters to decide if they are financially attainable. When the pundits gauge that the major parties are neck and neck credibility becomes stretched to the limit. It becomes a case of " buying " votes by appealing to the baser instincts of uncommitted voters.  The " What's in for me "  syndrome applies.

Every election contains a vast number of " invalid " votes.  Voting in Australia is a legal requirement and yet runs against the religious convictions of some people, while others  are so apathetic that they put their voting paper in the box unmarked to avoid a fine.   Many others are so confused by the voting rules that they inadvertently have it rejected by errors made.

Media polling before the election usually contains huge numbers who claim to be " undecided.  "Many of these have a partiality to either the left or right of politics, but have not actually bothered to narrow it down to individual candidates.   That is where the " how to vote " cards handed out at voting stations have value.  A great number of people take the card of their choice into the booth - and copy it onto the voting paper.

The 2013 Federal election delivered a number of people representing small parties to hold the balance of power in the Senate.   The huge size and complexity of the Senate voting paper confused many voters and steps have been taken to resolve that anomaly, but there is still the likelihood that neither major party will have the numbers in both houses of parliament.

It seems that this coming election - like many before it - will be decided by what many would call " the Donkey vote " !    The future and what happens in this country will depend of what mark people who are indifferent to the issues choose to mark on papers handed them by voting officials.

What is amazing is that evening out the holding of power between the various political factions this system manages to deliver us one of the most stable and progressive countries in the world !