ACT LETTER - PREFERENCES & 1999 COUNCIL ELECTIONS
The Editor
Illawarra Mercury
In response to comments by Donald Scott and lord mayoral elections - it is good to see citizens wanting to contribute to their city's future and offer themselves for elected office.
I can understand his perspectives on the concerns of party politics in local government - it is an issue on which I, and my fellow Ward I councillor, Dave Martin, between us, have taken a strong stand over the last 16 years.
However I cannot agree with his views on preferences - in an ideal world preferences might be abolished - but the reality is that here in Wollongong preferences not only exist - but they DO matter. In fact if every non ALP Lord Mayoral candidate were to refuse to give preferences - it would actually be giving the ALP candidate a dream run straight to the Lord Mayoral office in Level 10 of the Council building.
Why is this so? Simply - over time the ALP primary vote has generally remained at about 45% across the city - look at the last 1995 lord mayoral election and the seat of Keira in the recent State Election. David Campbell won both with about 45% of primary preferences. But, there is clearly a non-ALP vote of 55-60% average across the city of Wollongong.
But if this non ALP majority of 55-60% is broken up across a number of candidates who do not advise giving preferences - then the ALP's 45% is sufficient to win.
How? Consider if the lowest candidate gets 10% of the votes and does not give preferences. Then, as the votes are counted that person is eliminated - having the least votes - and unless their votes have been marked beyond No.1, their votes are declared to be exhausted and no longer used. NOW, the number of votes needed to win the ballot is reduced -at the beginning it was half of 100% - ie 50% - BUT now it is half of 100%-10% - ie 45% - and the ALP candidate is easily elected.
This also happened in the seat of Keira at the recent State Election - where many people did not vote beyond No.1 and therefore had no say in whether Dave Campbell or Dave Martin was elected. If they had continued marking their ballot paper all the way from No.1 to No.8 they could have a say in that result. It really is important to mark all squares on a ballot paper.
The lesson in all of this for voters is, that you should think about whom you want to give your primary vote to - but also if that candidate doesn't get enough votes themselves - then think about who else would you prefer to see elected - no matter whether it be a political party such as the ALP, or another independent. My ADVICE to voters and candidates alike is - Don't waste your vote! Make all your preferences count!
Councillor Kerrie Christian
Wollongong City Council
May 3 1999 Ph 0408 115 099
Authorised - Kerrie Christian
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