DEAR News Of The Area,
OF concern in the recent federal election was a “swing” towards informal voting, with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) reporting a national average of 5.55 percent ballot papers that could not be counted.
Within the electorates of Cowper and Page, the AEC’s corresponding local figures were 9.03 percent and 9.15 percent respectively, close to double the national average.
While it would be regarded as churlish not to congratulate the winning candidates in these electorates, it is nonetheless worth noting that in the closely run race for Cowper in particular, the result was likely to have been determined by the failure of a large number of electors to make their voting intentions sufficiently clear.
Exponents of hubris should take note.
Regards,
Simon AUNGLE,
Lowanna.
