What is the Preference Voting System?

In a nutshell, it’s a way for your vote to benefit your first choice of candidate (vote #1 Jennifer Anderson 😉), as well as other candidates that you like. This allows them to be elected to one of the other two Councillor positions in the West Ward.

The aim of the game:

Three Councillors to be elected in each of the three Wards in the Macedon Ranges Shire Council (find out which Ward you are in here)

How are they elected?

The top three Ward Councillors are selected based on the proportional system of voting.

If you want the long story, here’s the official explanation.

If you want the short story:

In order to be elected outright – a candidate must meet a quota.
However, in the last council election in the West Ward in 2020, no candidate obtained enough votes to get elected outright, and they relied on the preference system to top up their votes from other candidates.
The candidates who receive the least amount of votes are declared not elected and their preferences top up the remaining candidates who have more votes than them based on how those who voted for them listed their preference other candidates.
Your number 2 on your ballot paper will get extra votes ( to a lesser value than primary votes) if your number 1 candidate is deemed to have the lowest number of votes and is eliminated.
If your number 2 is the lowest, then your number 3 gets the votes, and so on.

Make your vote count

You will receive a ballot pack in the mail in the week of the 7 October 2024.

Each voting member in your household will receive a ballot pack and these may arrive at different times in the week.
You need to number every box for your vote to be counted. If you don’t, it will be discarded and not counted: this is known as an ‘informal’ vote.
Remember to return your vote in the Reply Paid envelope by not later than 25 October 2024 to avoid a fine.
There are 8 candidates standing in West Ward, so you need to number 1-8 beside each candidates name in order of preference. (Vote #1 Jennifer Anderson)

Who will I preference?

I will not be posting a preference list publicly as I believe everyone should do their own research and determine the right candidate for them.

Some candidates may publish a preference list, but it is still up to you to decide the order you wish to preference your votes.

I recommend you research each candidate and their published material (many have social or web pages and ads/flyers) and fact check claims and history to make your vote count.

If a candidate has been on council in the past, you can look up prior recordings of council meetings online to see how they perform in the council chamber, and what they have voted for and against in the past, and why. Otherwise ring and ask them how they voted on certain things that are important to you.

More information will be published on the VEC website as it becomes available and the ballot paper mailed to you will also contained candidate information.

Talk to trusted friends and ask them their opinion and why they think that way.

Get as much information as you can so you can make your vote count.

Authorised by J Anderson, PO Box 748 Woodend, 3442