I would support voter ID in a HEARTBEAT!!!
We already have them for State elections.
http://www.crikey.com.au/2014/06/30/...witcher=mobile
And I would support them if the Feds went for it!!
Assuming none of these declaration votes were rejected, that corresponds to just 0.9% of voters turning up to vote without acceptable identity.
http://blogs.abc.net.au/antonygreen/...-stafford.html
Changes to Electoral Law
The Stafford by-election will see a major change to the conduct of elections in Queensland. For the first time voters will be required to present some form of personal identification when voting. The Queensland Electoral Regulations have been amended to require one of the following documents to be presented when turning up to vote.
- Current driver’s licence
- Current Australian passport
- Voter information letter issued by the ECQ
- A recent document evidencing electoral enrolment
- Recent utility bill or council rate notice
- Commonwealth or state financial benefit card, for example a Commonwealth seniors health card, health care card, Medicare card, pensioner concession card or repatriation health card
- An adult proof of age card issued by the state
- Recent account statement, current account card or current credit card issued by a financial institution.
- A recent telephone or internet bill.
- A recent income tax assessment notice.
If you do not have identification, you will still be permitted to vote, but will be required to complete a declaration vote. Instead of your completed ballot paper going into the ballot box, you will need to place it in a declaration vote envelope, on the outside of which you will be required to fill in your name and address. Once sealed with your ballot paper inside, the declaration vote will be placed in a separate ballot box. Declaration votes will not be counted until the week after the election.
The Stafford by-election is an important test of the voter ID laws ahead of next year's state election. It will provide guidance on possible delays at the roll mark-off desk as voters are asked to show ID before being issued with ballot papers. If the extra check causes queuing, or if many voters do not have acceptable ID and are re-directed to the declaration vote desk, then the Electoral Commission will need to respond before the state election. The new laws may cause delays, may require more staff to be employed, and the increase in declaration votes may increase the number of people milling about inside the polling place. The new procedures will also decrease the number of votes counted on election night, with the possibility of delaying knowledge of the result. The new law may be creating a bigger problem than the one it is designed to solve. (I wrote a blog post on the new laws
which you can find via this link.)
2014 Stafford by-election - ABC News Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Now I support our state laws. I will support our Fed Laws if based on similar standards of proof required.
Might be useful in 'Merca too.
Greg
