Protest or Error? Informal Voting and Compulsory Voting

Abstract

Some opponents of compulsory voting claim that rising rates of informal voting point to growing antipathy towards the institution. In order to test this claim we examine recent trends in informal voting, focusing upon some recent figures, particularly those of the 2004 Federal election when there was a sharp rise in informal votes. We suggest that it is not compulsion that is leading to informal voting but rather complexity and its interactions with sociological factors that are brought into play by near-universal turnout.

Notes

¹Where a ballot paper contains repeating numbers such as 1, 2, 3, 3, 3. So named because Albert Langer conducted a number of campaigns at various elections encouraging voters to vote in this manner (see AEC 2004a).

²Or one in the case of Queensland.

³Twenty-five per cent left the paper blank.

⁴With the notable exceptions of New England in NSW and Bendigo in Victoria (Dario 2005, 11).

⁵Overall, Jackman (2005) found that, along with the number of candidates on the ballot paper, language and education levels were major predictors of informal voting.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lisa Hill

Lisa Hill is an Associate Professor in Politics at the University of Adelaide. In researching this paper, the authors thank Jonathon Louth and Glynn Evans for their able assistance.

Sally Young

Sally Young is a Senior Lecturer in Media and Communications at The University of Melbourne. In researching this paper, the authors thank Jonathon Louth and Glynn Evans for their able assistance.