There has been plenty of chatter nationally about 'preference deals' various parties have made in the lead up to the federal election on May 18.
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Preferential voting can be confusing for some people, particularly when how to vote for the House of Representatives (electing a local candidate) is different in the NSW state election than it is for the federal election.
The NSW state election requires 'optional preferential' voting, meaning you only have to number one candidate and leave the rest blank, if you so wished.
In the federal election, you must number each box on the green ballot paper for your vote to be counted. You can follow a candidate's 'how to vote' card, or you can number them in any order you wish.
The Manning River Times sought to find out how each Lyne candidate was directing their preferences.
Candidates for the Lyne electorate
In order listed in ballot draw.
- Phil Costa - Australian Labor Party
- Dr David Gillespie - The Nationals
- Garry Bourke - United Australia Party
- Ryan Goldspring - Fraser Anning's Conservative National Party
- Dean McRae - Liberal Democrats
- Ed Caruana - Australian Workers Party
- Jeremy Miller - Independent
- Catherine Zhao - Christian Democrats (Fred Nile Group)
- Stuart Watson - The Greens
Candidate preferences
Phil Costa, Australian Labor Party: 1. Labor, 2. Jeremy Miller, 3. Greens, 4. United Australia Party, 5. Australian Workers Party, 6. Liberal Democrats, 7. Nationals, 8. Christian Democrats, 9. Fraser Anning's Conservative National Party.
Dr David Gillespie, The Nationals: 1. Nationals, 2. United Australia Party, 3. Liberal Democrats, 4. Christian Democrats, 5. Jeremy Miller, 6. Labor, 7. Greens, 8. Australian Workers Party, 9. Fraser Anning's Conservative National Party.
Ryan Goldspring, Fraser Anning's Conservative National Party: 1. Fraser Anning's Conservative National Party, 2. United Australia Party, 3. Christian Democrats, 4. Liberal Democrats, 5. Nationals, 6. Jeremy Miller, 7. Australian Worker Party, 8. Labor, 9. Greens.
Stuart Watson, The Greens: 1. The Greens, 2. Jeremy Miller, 3. Labor, 4. Australian Workers Party, 5. Christian Democrats, 6. Liberal Democrats, 7. Nationals, 8. United Australia Party, 9. Fraser Anning's Conservative National Party.
Jeremy Miller and Ed Caruana (Australian Workers Party) are not distributing preferences. "Let the electorate decide with no interference," Mr Caruana said.
No reply was received from the following candidates at the time of writing:
- Garry Bourke (United Australia Party), who lives at Alstonville near Ballina.
- Dean McRae (Liberal Democrats), who stood for the electorate of Goulburn in the recent NSW state election.
- Catherine Zhao (Christian Democrats - Fred Nile Group), who stood for the Georges River - Hurstville Ward in Sydney in the 2016 federal election.
How preferences are counted
Preferences are counted from the 'bottom up'. The preferences of the two parties with the most votes are not counted.
Preferences are counted unless there is an absolute majority (50 per cent) vote for one candidate.
At each stage, the candidate with the least votes is excluded from the count, and their preferences distributed to the other remaining candidates.
When preferences are distributed, the candidate who now has the lowest vote is excluded and his/her votes distributed, and so on, until there are two candidates remaining.
Make your vote count
To make your vote count, you must put a number in each box for the House of Representatives (small green ballot paper).
For the Senate (the big white paper), you can vote above the line or below the line.
If you vote above the line, you need to number at least six boxes from one to six. Your preferences will go in the order in which you numbered the boxes. You can number more than six boxes if you so wish.
If you vote below the line, which means you totally control your own preferences, you need to number at least 12 of the boxes from one to 12. You can number more than 12 boxes if you so wish.
If you vote below the line, which means you totally control your own preferences, you need to number at least 12 of the boxes from one to 12. You can number more than 12 boxes if you so wish.