You determine where your preferences go

FACT: Your vote is your choice. You determine where your preferences go. If the Greens are not elected, it is you, not any political party, who determines where your vote goes.

The Greens want to make sure that everyone casts a formal vote that best reflects their political views. How-To-Vote cards that the Greens and other parties give out on election day are guides only, and voters choose whether or not to follow them.

An arrangement between the ALP and the Greens is about preferences only. This arrangement gives Queenslanders who vote Green the best chance to have their views represented in federal parliament by electing the first Greens Senator for Queensland, Larissa Waters.

This arrangement means in the Senate, the ALP have agreed to direct preferences to the Greens in every state and territory on their Group Voting Ticket. So if a voter votes for the ALP above the line in the Senate, their vote goes to the ALP candidates first, and then the Greens candidates immediately afterwards. Only by voting above the line in the Senate do you give permission to a party to direct your vote.

In the Senate, you can find out where Greens Senate preferences go on the "Below The Line" website (https://www.belowtheline.org.au/) or by asking the AEC staff at your booth for a list of Group Voting Tickets. If you like the order of the candidates on our the Greens Group Voting Ticket, you can vote Green by putting a 1 in the box above the line. If you disagree with the order, you can number every box below the line (starting with the Greens' candidates) meaning if the Greens candidate is not elected, your vote will flow at full value to your next choice of candidate who is still in the running.

In the House of Representatives, the Greens have agreed to hand out how-to-vote cards in 54 seats (out of 150) which suggest to voters they place the ALP candidate before the Coalition candidate(s). This is not a suggestion that the ALP have better policies than the Coalition or that we give blanket support to the ALP. This arrangement is about preferences only and gives Queenslanders and other Australians who vote Green their best chance to have their voice heard in federal parliament.

In the majority of seats, the Greens will not be making a suggestion to voters other than to put the Greens first and complete the rest of the ballot paper the way you want to by numbering all other candidates in the order of your preference. Even in the seats where the Greens are suggesting that voters put the ALP above the Coalition, this is only a recommendation and people are encouraged to make up their own minds.

No party determines where a voter's preference goes - it is up to you, the voter.

In the House of Representatives, look at the suggestions made by the Greens. If you like it, great, fill in the boxes as suggested. If you don't like the order, put the candidates in the order of your choice. You must number every box to ensure your vote is valid.

If you need assistance on the day, remember you can always ask an AEC official for assistance, or for a new ballot paper.

More information on the fully public preference arrangement (and the debunking of other election myths) is available at http://greens.org.au/getthefacts

Sam La Rocca
Queensland Greens

Permanent Link: You determine where your preferences go
Publish Date: 13 Aug 10

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