In short:
Almost half of those who voted in the federal election in a small northern NSW town had their votes declared invalid.
Residents who voted at the Missabotti voting centre say AEC staff provided them incorrect how-to-vote information.
What’s next?
The AEC is investigating the allegations of voting misinformation.
I never have. I already know how to vote, from over a decade of voting, and even longer of discussing elections and having an amateur interest in psephology.
I don’t listen to what the AEC workers say either.
Haha, well, yes, same. But imagining I’m the average disengaged voter who hasn’t planned their vote ahead of time and I’m arriving at the polling place not totally clear on what I’m doing? I think I’d probably read the instructions. Maybe I’m kidding myself though.
If you’ve put that much thought into our democracy, does your vote matter anyway ?
But I do think AEC staff giving wrong info is terrible.