Media Release 2005: Don't Forget to Number every Box to Make your Vote count in the Werriwa By-Election

18 March 2005

Polling officials will be instructing all electors to number every box from one (1) to sixteen (16) on the ballot paper when they vote in the Werriwa by-election.

Divisional Returning Officer for Werriwa, Ms Karen Houston is concerned that with 16 candidates, electors will waste their vote if they do not number every box on the ballot paper.

At the 2004 federal election, the informal vote in Werriwa was a high 7.98% or 6724 electors whose votes could not be counted.

Ms Houston encouraged all electors to take the time to make sure they filled in their House of Representatives ballot paper correctly, by numbering all 16 squares.

"We want every vote to count," said Ms Houston.

"No ticks or crosses should be used, check to make sure no numbers are repeated and don't leave any squares blank or your vote is wasted," Ms Houston said.

If an elector makes a mistake they can request another ballot paper from the polling official.

Multilingual information will be displayed at all polling places to assist electors.

Polling places will be open on election day from 8am – 6pm. To find the location of your nearest polling place visit the AEC website www.aec.gov.au or call the AEC on 13 23 26.

"Don't forget, if you're an Australian citizen, 18 years or older living in the Division of Werriwa, then you need to vote, in fact it is compulsory that you do," said Ms Houston.

"The maximum penalty for not voting is $50."

Further information contact

Karen Houston
Divisional Returning Officer for Werriwa
Ph 02 4627 1156

Susan Gibb
Manager, Public Awareness
Australian Electoral Commission
Ph 02 9375 6318
Mob 0413 274 800

Voting is compulsory. Election day is Saturday 19 March 2005.

For more information, see the Werriwa by-election.