Strange Australian Voting Method

[Sabby]

Here in Australia, every now and then, the same thing will happen. When everyone goes into the booth and casts their vote, they simply draw something on the paper, (as you'd imagine, this equals a lot of cartoon boobs and penis') so, when the tally has been counted, everyone has gone on the recorded as having voted, but theres no way to tell who simply drew something and there fore did not vote.

I don't understand the purpose of it, but its kind of funny.

[Humble Scribe]

Isn't it because voting is compulsory in Australia?

[Sabby]

Theres a fine for not voting. I'm 19 and the election completely went over my head, so I had to pay the due for not voting. But whats the purpose drawing a penis on all the voting slips? I'm starting to think Australians are a little too layed back these days. *snickers* still, its funny.

[kongming]

It's a pretty small fine, though. Like, much less than a parking ticket, so if parking is going to be a real hassle on voting day, stick with the fine for not voting.

At any rate, our method isn't that strange.

[Elvi]

I think, Sabbat, that the term used for this is 'protest'.
You don't want to vote, but you don't want to be fined for not voting, so you go along, spoil your ballot paper and don't get fined.

[Sabby]

Now that would make some sense Elvi... I'm not too good at politics, so I wouldn't know why such a protest would take place. Eh, at least we got Rudd in, and a couple thousand cartoon breasts

[SerpentKiss]

I think I'd write the opening of a joke, just to annoy them, without giving them the punchline...

....until next year's vote

[Lovebug]

As a full paid-up strange Australian, I continue to be in favour of compulsory voting. If our government's crap, it's everybody's fault and not just because the weather was bad or what have you.

It also makes it very difficult for extreme points of view to get traction with the electorate, which is a Good Thing in that I would be unlikely to thrive in a theocracy.

[HairyHeretic]

Apparent a favourite method of spoiling the vote over here is to vote for Dustin the turkey, even if he's not on the ballet.

In case you're not familiar with Dustin, he's Irelands entry for the Eurovision this year (amongst other things).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7261164.stm

[Trieste]

Supposedly Mickey Mouse gets the most write-ins in US presidential elections. I heard that somewhere...

[Mindhazingsquid]

I wonder who gets the most Canadian votes?  Probably the "Natural Law Party" these days.  Ron Parker and his Yogic Flyers made an appearance just around the time I started being allowed to vote but have since vanished in the the anals of history, hah hah.

[kongming]

the anals of history

I think you meant annals. I wouldn't normally point out an easy typo, but in this case you used the word anal, so I think we really need to draw attention to it, for the sake of lulz.

Oh, I think "Good News Week" should run for maybe 6 weeks prior to every election. That way Australians will actually pay attention to what's going on in politics and make educated decisions.

[Mindhazingsquid]

Yeah, I was making an intentional funny with anals and annals.  The Natural Law Party was so rediculous.  They were going to use Yogic Flyers to patrol Canadian skies among other things.  Yogic flyers being the guys who bounce around on their butts.

[ShrowdedPoet]

I'm American :( and I feel it very important to vote. . .but If I were Austrelian, I would still feel it very important to vote, but maybe I'd have some fun one year and draw and fat naked chick. . .*giggles*