Election - 20th March 2010

[Dogwatcher]

The election coverage on Adelaide Now and ABC has been very disappointing today.
I would have thought there would have been more fresh stories going up today than there have been.
There would be plenty of stories from each of the seats that would be worth telling.
Only passing references to the losses of J-Lo and Maywald in review stories, while the battle for Bright has received the same treatment.
The coverage is too fixed on Rann/Redmond and who is going to take power.
While that is the major story, there are plenty of others bubbling away that could be covered today.
I only mention this as the changing world of on-line media is supposed to provide us with more immediacy and these two sites are the leading exponents of that media. Yet, I feel we haven't seen that immediacy and improved coverage...

[dedja]

One thing has always intrigued me at elections.

Usually by the end of election night approx 70% of voted have been counted which usually is enough to determine the majority party. I can understand that it is a huge day for all those involved at polling booths and the co-ordination from the Electoral Commission must be massive.

But why is it that on the Sunday (ie. today) nothing happens? If 700,000 odd votes can be counted on Saturday night why can't the rest be counted as much as possible on Sunday.

Also, there's about 100,00 postal votes. Why can't they be counted today as well?

I understand the complexities of the preferences so the recounts can be repetitive and onerous, but considering we officially don't have a winner to yesterday's election I really can't fathom why all hands aren't on deck counting in Bright and Hartley today.

What don't I understand about the process that is confusing me?

[Dogwatcher]

Postal voting counts can't start until seven days after an election, ensuring all of the eligible votes have been received.

Also worth noting that it is much easier to postal vote now than it has been in the past.
I think the figures we saw this election will be a sign of the future in that direction.

[dedja]

OK, I just realised that that postal votes can be received up to 7 days after election day so that explains that one.

That still doesn't answer the question regarding tallying of the other votes.

[Brucetiki]

FWIW in the Legislative Council

Labor 4.53 seats
Liberal 4.7 seats
Greens 0.79 seats
Family First 0.53 seats

Dignity for Disabled 0.14 seats
Democrats, Save the RAH 0.11 seats
DLP, Gamers4 Croydon 0.1 seats
Winderlich 0.08 seats
AbortSA 0.03 seats

Really hoped Brokenshire didnt get that last seat! Oh well. Hopefully Trevor Grace lost money on his terrible campaign, what a tool!

The LC result is looking like this

Labor 4
Liberal 4
Greens 1
Family First 1
Dignity for Disabled 1

[dedja]

Those Legislative Council likely results highlight the absurdity of our electoral system.

Labour are tracking at 4.53 quotas and D4D at 0.14, but it seems likely that Labor will gain 4 quotas and D4D one.

Also, Kris Hanna will win Mitchell on the basis of massive preferences from only 29.1% of the first preference vote.

[Dogwatcher]

I'm assuming that D4D will have the balance in the LC, is that right?

[Chuck Wepner]

OK, I just realised that that postal votes can be received up to 7 days after election day so that explains that one.

That still doesn't answer the question regarding tallying of the other votes.

dedja, my sister works for ECSA (electral comission os SA). all envelope votes (declaration votes) - ie. absent votes from polling places,postal votes, early poll votes, absent votes from interstae & overseas firstly have to be received, then checked for validity & if the voter is entiled - they declare that they are but they may not be on the certifired voters' roll - then they get admitted to the count, opened and counted. That can't be done in 5 minutes. theer are thousands of casual staff employed polling day but most have day jobs as well - so who counts the votes ???? that is why it takes time and patience for the pollies..

[Chuck Wepner]

Postal voting counts can't start until seven days after an election, ensuring all of the eligible votes have been received.

Also worth noting that it is much easier to postal vote now than it has been in the past.
I think the figures we saw this election will be a sign of the future in that direction.

not true. the ones already recevied can be counted today, but postal votes from overseas can be received up to 3 weeks after polling day

[Dogwatcher]

Fair enough, only going by what I was told during an interview with an electoral commission staffer late last week.

[GWW]

So given that Atkinson has demoted himself to the back bench, who is the likely new Attorney-General presuming that the ALP win the election as is likely.

From what i've heard in the past the AG must have legal qualifications, so presumably this would limit the list of candidates a bit. Weatherill and Conlin I would think would be the leading candidates, my guess would be Weatherill though.

[Squawk]

So given that Atkinson has demoted himself to the back bench, who is the likely new Attorney-General presuming that the ALP win the election as is likely.

From what i've heard in the past the AG must have legal qualifications, so presumably this would limit the list of candidates a bit. Weatherill and Conlin I would think would be the leading candidates, my guess would be Weatherill though.

I don't think this is true. (What if no Ministers had a law degree? Also, you can have a law degree without being admitted to practice law). However, it is usually the way.

There is a third member of the current Cabinet who has a Law degree. John Hill. Now that's an interesting situation!

[BenchedEagle]

So given that Atkinson has demoted himself to the back bench, who is the likely new Attorney-General presuming that the ALP win the election as is likely.

From what i've heard in the past the AG must have legal qualifications, so presumably this would limit the list of candidates a bit. Weatherill and Conlin I would think would be the leading candidates, my guess would be Weatherill though.

I still think Weatherill will take Education.

[fish]

I have been thinking a bit about the election result and I reckon the win by Labor was remarkable, given that:

Labor had been in government for two terms and was looking a bit old and tired.
The Liberals had a new leader who had finally united and invigorated the opposition.
The Premier was the subject of a sustained smear campaign.

The fact that Labor won despite these factors is pretty amazing.

[LBT]

Apparently no more votes will be counted until tomorrow .

[White Line Fever]

I have been thinking a bit about the election result and I reckon the win by Labor was remarkable, given that:

Labor had been in government for two terms and was looking a bit old and tired.
The Liberals had a new leader who had finally united and invigorated the opposition.
The Premier was the subject of a sustained smear campaign.

The fact that Labor won despite these factors is pretty amazing.

I reckon the late mail on Liberals savings plan on a new stadium hurt them, saying that the stadium would take 6 years to save for, then another 4 to build, which is why i also reckon quite a few postal votes will head their way which could make it very close!

[LBT]

I have been thinking a bit about the election result and I reckon the win by Labor was remarkable, given that:

Labor had been in government for two terms and was looking a bit old and tired.
The Liberals had a new leader who had finally united and invigorated the opposition.
The Premier was the subject of a sustained smear campaign.

The fact that Labor won despite these factors is pretty amazing.

I reckon the late mail on Liberals savings plan on a new stadium hurt them, saying that the stadium would take 6 years to save for, then another 4 to build, which is why i also reckon quite a few postal votes will head their way which could make it very close!

But if that is the case, the Libs candidate will sneak into second place in Mitchell, effectively giving Labor the seat. I think its near impossible for Labor to not get at least 24 seats, it would require heaps of Liberal pre/postals in Hartley/Newland and bugger all in Mitchell.

[Gozu]

I think this sounds about right, "The real lessons from SA":

http://www.pipingshrike.com/2010/03/the ... om-sa.html

[Dogwatcher]

Might be some interesting election wash up vision on 10 tonight.

All I can say is, never put your hand on a tv camera.

[Squawk]

I think this sounds about right, "The real lessons from SA":

http://www.pipingshrike.com/2010/03/the ... om-sa.html

Interesting that an "allegedly" was missed in this article too!