DEAR News Of The Area,

ON September 14 everyone over eighteen is required to vote at the Council elections.

At the 2016 election, 80.6 percent of the 54,174 enrolled voted with 8.82 percent informally.

At the 2021 election, 82.91 percent of the 56,687 enrolled voted with 7.26 percent informally.

With the Optional Preferential voting system operating candidates with low numbers of votes can be elected to Council.

The total formal votes divided by nine (Mayor and eight Councillors) gives the number of quota votes to be automatically elected.

In 2016 two candidates who received just 65 and 239 votes were elected at counts 35 and 42.

These two went on to continually vote for Yarrila place despite 15,000 signatures against the project (NOTA 30.8.24 George Partos).

Paul Amos despite receiving 4293 votes (next highest 1983) was not automatically elected as he did not receive a quota and was elected at count 6.

In 2021 the Cr Amos ticket received two quotas so Wolgamot with just 48 votes (21st highest) was automatically elected as he was number two on the ticket and Sechi with 75 votes (17th highest), who was number three on ticket, was elected at count 37.

As their groups did not receive a Quota, Councillors Swan was elected at count 34, with Judge, Cassell, and Townley at count 37.

When completing your ballot paper, you must choose voting above the line for a group or below the line for individual candidates.

Do not number both as your vote will be informal.

Last election 73.9 percent voted above the line which means you lose control of who your vote goes to as you lose control of preferences.

By just spending just a little longer when casting your vote by numbering as many boxes as you can below the line will help attain a far more representative Council.

The current Optional Preferential system should be scrapped and replaced with a first past the post system which would be an easier system to understand, should increase participation and reduce the number of informal votes.

The eight highest Councillor votes would become elected Councillors to join the elected Major with the ninth highest becoming a standby to replace any Councillor who does not attend meetings for six months or resigns within eighteen months of the next election.

This fairer system would elect candidates the ratepayers voted to represent them, enable a Councillor to be promptly replaced and potentially save over $500,000 in bi-election costs.

Regards,
Wayne WELSH,
Coffs Harbour Jetty.