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[MetalSlimeHunt]

Look on the bright side, several tiny unelectable right wing parties will just drain votes from the real threats.

How so?

Even with ranked voting, at least some of the people who have decided to back small parties like those are sure to have just voted for that party alone out of ideological purity.

[alexandertnt]

Even with ranked voting, at least some of the people who have decided to back small parties like those are sure to have just voted for that party alone out of ideological purity.

Ah, so they would spoil their vote. I see now.

[Blargityblarg]

Look on the bright side, several tiny unelectable right wing parties will just drain votes from the real threats.

How so?

Even with ranked voting, at least some of the people who have decided to back small parties like those are sure to have just voted for that party alone out of ideological purity.

Australian system doesn't let you vote for just one party; you have to number all the candidates or it's an informal (i.e. same as drawing a dick on the paper) vote.

[Max White]

Voted today. Greens in reps with Labor preferences, hopefully Mike Kelly and his amazing 80s porn star good looks can hold the seat. Voted below the line in Senate with Sex Party first choice because I'm a corporate shill who loves the porn industry, and Greens next because I hate GM food and all.

Best possible outcome: Labor takes reps. Greens maintain balance. Liberal tears fill the Murry. Rudd looses his seat.
Optimistic realistic outcome: Labor is totally destroyed in reps. Greens and good senators take the balance in the senate. Nothing happens for three years. Rudd looses his seat.
Worst possible outcome: House of reps become a blue candy cane. Abbott gains control of the senate not unlike Palpatine. Three year dictatorship. Gay rights go Russian.

Seriously, I'm a little sad. We were so close. Most polls say we only needed 4 points towards labor in a few seats and we could have had gay marriage. My greatest hope right now is that Turnbull overthrows Abbott, not unlike Darth Vader over turning Darth Sidious, and gives people a fair chance.

You have no idea how much I would like a good strong drink right now.

Australian system doesn't let you vote for just one party; you have to number all the candidates or it's an informal (i.e. same as drawing a dick on the paper) vote.

Maybe the implication was that anybody that stupid would think you are allowed to only vote for one party? But then again anybody that stupid would mess up the vote radical party or not.

[fivex]

Is it plausible that you could end up with a hung parliament?

[alexandertnt]

Australian system doesn't let you vote for just one party; you have to number all the candidates or it's an informal (i.e. same as drawing a dick on the paper) vote.

I think he was saying that these people would not vote at all for other parties out of spite, and ruin their vote (and thus not count as a vote towards that party).

Voted below the line in Senate

You are a far braver person than I.

My greatest hope right now is that Turnbull overthrows Abbott, not unlike Darth Vader over turning Darth Sidious, and gives people a fair chance.

Very unlikely. But we can always dream...

[Max White]

I actually took the liberty of looking up the pre-mixed voting preferences for each party. Voting above the line was no longer an option.

[Aqizzar]

Your guys ballots sounds way cooler than America's.  I mean, they sound really confusing, but at least they've got fun rules and stuff.

[Max White]

Yea, shit is pretty cash. They give you a great big piece of paper full of senators for you to label best to worst. Also instead of voting for a nation wide president you get to vote for a champion of your region to fight for your local needs, or so the theory goes.
Point is democracy is a lot more interesting when you get fined for not voting.

[Descan]

what line

[Aqizzar]

And you have to stare at the ballot for ten minutes trying to remember who all these names are so you can put them in order, instead of just picking the funniest and having done with it.

[alexandertnt]

what line

the thick, prominent black line that runs through the page.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/4905038-3x2-940x627.jpg

[Max White]

what line

Ok so in the Senate I could pick from 110 candidates in NSW. That is a lot of people to choose from! To make life easy there is The Line. The line separates the ballot into two sections. Bellow the line I can preference each candidate as I like, but that is long and boring and hard to do. The alternative is to instead vote above the line, where you tick a single box that comes with a preset list of preferences (Groups can be found here to see what they look like) making voting much easier. Important to note is that you can only place a single vote above the line.

The Greens are fighting for a system where you can make your own party based preferences if you wish, but lets not go into that.

And you have to stare at the ballot for ten minutes trying to remember who all these names are so you can put them in order, instead of just picking the funniest and having done with it.

Only if you feel like it. See above.

[Reudh]

I too have cast my vote. We had 97 candidates.

I frightened our local Greens member's representatives - one Michael Schilling, who used to pick on me in highschool by calling me idiotic red-head related names.

I told his reps about that, and they fell utterly silent. Sorry, Greens, but you're not getting a House of Reps place here.

[alexandertnt]

Its amusing that the "Stop the Greens" party does not have the Greens as their lowest preference.

Also the "Bullet Train for Australia" ends up high-ish up on most of the parties preferences.