Tales from the Polling Booth

[Squawk]

Below the line. And yes, all 74 of them! Took me an hour but I had the luxury of doing it at home last week and being able to use the internet to inform my priorities - at least to about number 50 anyway.

I like compulsory voting (noting what dedja outlined above is true) - it means that not only does everyone have the right to vote, but IMHO it also means everyone has the right to complain as well.

[Brucetiki]

Yep i listed all from 1 to 74 (or whatever the total was)

I did the same I think it was 72. I prefer to do below the line, if you vote above the line, it's pretty much asking the party you voted for to do the voting for you. If you vote below, you vote the way you want.

I, too, did all 74 spots below the line for the same reason.

Surprisingly I was in a dual polling station (Ramsay/Taylor) even though there were at least 2 other booths closer to Taylor than this station.

I only copped the Labor how to vote guy - the Liberal guy wasn't even bothering and the rest were at the other entrance.

Finally, I also support compulsory voting. There are parts of the world that risk life and limb just to cast their vote (often volunarily) yet here we have morons like Rucci complaining that they have to vote.

[CK]

I'm in what WAS an extremely safe ALP seat until last night (Kaurna), so just encountered a very friendly Liberal bloke with how to vote cards on the way IN (politely declined, as I always do).

Fair line at the time - this was 9.30am - and had forgotten my little green card, but was soon called to the desk and asked for my details, by a friendly younger lady.

"Have you voted anywhere else today?"
"Isn't that the whole idea? Aren't we supposed to go to every booth in the electorate and get our names ticked off, like a treasure hunt?"
Look on her face for 2 seconds was priceless, before she bursts out laughing . The guy next to her, about the same age, "Why on earth would you want to do that? That's a waste of a lovely day!"
"This is as good as it gets around here, its like Christmas in March".
At least it gave them both a good laugh to start the day.

Went below the line, again as always, in the LC, so that took a little longer.

On the way OUT, found the Family First person handing out their How To Vote card. At my booth, its generally one primary entrance, so that one left me scratching my head a while.

[dinglinga]

arrived at my polling booth at 8am so i could get to work on time and bloody old ppl .....every grey haired pensioner was out in force ready to vote.. one old bugger in front was having a right old winge about everything including the veggie patch the kids at this school had made... i just reminded the guy that my daughter helped with this ... any way ..voting was easy and pleasant .

was asked have you voted yet in this election ?? i said nah my labour mp has this seat wrapped up ...

[fisho mcspaz]

My four-year-old was quite interested as to why we had to go and vote yesterday. My partner took him outside to wait for me (because I was voting below the line) and he was asking things like 'Why do we need a government? What does it do? Why don't you run the government?' Finally, he said at the top of his voice, 'Well, why doesn't MUMMY run the government? You know she wants to.' Thanks, kiddo. Oh well, at least he kept the how-to-vote people entertained.

[Punk Rooster]

when I voted, I made the point of returning all of my "how to vote" cards to each of the party representatives, as I could not bring myself to waste these resources unnecessarily.
All appreciated this gesture, so perhaps people in general should follow this practice?

[once_were_warriors]

Nice stroll down to the Julia Far about 4.30 with the wife.

Polling both was pretty quite , how to vote card people looked knackered.

Got to the booth and started to fill out 1 -74 in the legislative and the bloke next to me was doing a running commentary to his partner on what all the parties stand for.

Shooters Party : they like guns put them down the bottom.
Family First : God first people second , put then down the bottom.

After 5 minutes he leaves his booth and asks one of the electoral officers what other parties, candidates stand for and got a quick reply that he should of done his research prior to voting.

Goes back to the booth and restarts the commentary with his partner.

We stroll back home , I crack a Pale and settle down to watch the rugby.

I don't understand why people complain about voting, its only 30 minutes out of your day.

[Pseudo]

I would not vote, given the choice, because:
- I do not care which entities form government
- I do not suffer the illusion that my vote makes a difference.
An acquaintance of mine once forgot to vote in a state election, and when sent the obligatory "please explain" letter, he simply claimed that he didn't realise that voting in state elections was compulsory. He was fined a minimal amount for this, only $10 I think. I considered the merits of paying $10 to stay on my bum at home, but in the end decided the walk to the polling booth and back would be my exercise for the day. So off I set.

Arrived at the booth and ran the gauntlet of leaflet pushers. "No thanks", I said politely to the liberal. "No thanks", I said a little more gruffly to the next bloke, who had witnessed me refusing the Libs. I barked "NO THANKS" to the third. I simply stared down the fourth cretin; she froze in mid reach, her hand slowly returning to her side, still clutching her leaflet.

Got to the entry and was harassed by a little squirt pimping soft drinks to raise $ for the school. Told him to wait 'til I came out.

The Bint At The Door asked me if I'd come to vote in Elder. "Damned if I know", I said, and fished the little green slip out of my wallet. Having confirmed I was in the right place she sent me "to the farthest table, right down the end".

I sauntered to the farthest table right down the end, where the bloke sitting there simply ignored me. A corpulent lady wandered up and asked "can I help you"? I said "yeah, you can cross my name off". She promptly told me off and directed me to another table; apparently "the table right down the end" wasn't one where you got your name crossed off.

The incompetent fool from the door came shuffling over, apologising profusely. "Oh, you didn't mean the table at the end at the end, you meant the table at the end in the middle of the room", I said loudly. I was directed to wait behind a bloke being served at one table. This bloke was a cretin; he required the name-cross-offing droid to explain the finer points of the electoral system to him in great detail. Meanwhile the door bint was directing a steady stream of new arrivals to the other table in sequence, each getting their name crossed off in 30 seconds and moving on.

While waiting for this pillock to be shown how to form the numerals 1 to 5, I looked around the room. My attention was drawn to The Exit Nazi (tm). This sour old lady was lurking by the ballot boxes, forcing everybody to fold their ballot papers in a manner which was aesthetically pleasing to her before she would allow them to be posted.

After 5 minutes the cretin in front of me was finally satisfied that he could label the ballot slip in his preferred manner (new idea: if you do not cast your ballot within 5 minutes of entering the booth then your vote is informal. Any of those twits who vote below the line should care enough to have their vote worked out before they enter the booth in the first place). I presented my card, was asked the obligatory "have you voted elsewhere today" question, given my slips and waved away - all in less than a minute.

After the delay I felt disinclined to vote in my usual manner (by drawing crude depictions of genitalia on the ballot slips) and instead simply marched for the ballot boxes. I absent-mindedly folded the ballots in half as I walked. Then in half again for the upper house paper. Then again. Realising that it was still too big for the slot on the upper house box, I simply scrunched the paper as I reached forwards to the holes.

"Nein! Mein Gott!", screamed the Exit Nazi. "You must fold your paper neatly as small as possible!" she screamed, reaching forwards and taking my ballot from my hands. I was tempted to point out that she was infringing my democratic right by interfering with my ballot paper, but quickly remembered that I did not care about said democratic rights in the first place. I simply let go of the ballot papers, leaving her holding the pair of them, said "you can do whatever you like with 'em darling", and walked out as she gazed slackjawed after me. The Door Bint also witnessed this.

Immediately I fell into the arms of the 8 year old softdrink pusher. He had installed himself by the exit immedately after our last encounter and he pounced upon me, insisting that I buy sugary junk water from him. On enquiry he admitted that they weren't selling any diet softies so I gave him a donation instead.

All up a dreadful waste of time which I could have spent more profitably by sitting on my @rse and developing a case of Deep Vein Thrombosis. Next year perhaps I'll get someone to vote on my behalf, in the manner of his choosing. That way I get to avoid the polling booth, and some over-eager schmuck gets to make his vote count twice. I won't bother pointing out that twice times SFA is still SFA.

[am Bays]

All up a dreadful waste of time which I could have spent more profitably by sitting on my @rse and developing a case of Deep Vein Thrombosis. Next year perhaps I'll get someone to vote on my behalf, in the manner of his choosing. That way I get to avoid the polling booth, and some over-eager schmuck gets to make his vote count twice. I won't bother pointing out that twice times SFA is still SFA.

Good news Psuedo, I think we are due to go to the Polls in December this year for K-Rud...

[redandblack]

Most entertaining, Pseudo, even if I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill.

Enjoyed the prose, though.

PS: If your vote doesn't make a difference, (which it doesn't, as you vote for the same non-party every election), whose does?

PPS: I could be wrong, as you've changed from the Genitalia Party to the Scrunched-Up Party

[maxyoz]

Was very disappointed with a fresh bunch of Gen Y'ers out to vote for their first time in their posse. As they walked past the "How to Vote" giver outerers, rather than a simple no thanks, they would ask loudly "who are you?" When told the party, they would either finish with a "you've got no f&#ken hope" or a "good onya mate". Then they'd giggle amongst themselves.

Whilst lining up waiting to get in, these 6 democratic deciders just waltzed in as if they owned the place, a lovely old lady asked me what we were meant to be doing. I just mentioned to her that this was the line to go in, which apprently the youth of today don't need to worry about. This drew some scary stares from the Gen Y kiddies.

When inside, all you could hear were these kids carrying on "Liberal are f*#ked, what a waste of time, the greens are all f*#king hippies" etc etc. And with the amount of elderly there, it was just plain disgraceful. Ended up, they were all doing an absentee vote anyway. Maybe their parents were too embarassed to have them in their electorate. Not the best way for 4 girls and 2 guys from our future to be carrying on. At least our 18 year old son went with his Mum who showed him through the process, being a first timer and all - they just got out of bed too late for my liking. Plus, I do the below the line thing, so generally incur the wrath of a non-patient wife.

The fare on offer by the Oaklands Park Anglican Church was a good array of jams, spreads and cakes. Even saw our Liberal Candidate do a drive by - maybe she was just getting there or just leaving - or about to do a "hit" on one of her opponents.

I thought the ABC's telecast was it's usual pro-Labor affair with Kerry O'Brien - but I too enjoyed watching what was transpiring around the State, whilst sending and receiving amusing SMS's from fellow voters.

[Blue Boy]

I rocked up at about 7.50 am to vote thinking that our local booth was open @ 6 but it didnt open until 8.

So I thought oh well the 10 minutes I have to wait now will probably be the same if not more if I came back later.

Im so glad I stayed as the couple of seniors in front of me were going of there chewy because it didnt open until 8 and they repeated to each other on the minute every minute the same thing over and over again - and yet they didnt say any thing else to each other

I wish I had all day every day to have time up my sleeve

[Blue Boy]

Side note you could vote at 2 different seats at our booth and I lined up at the wrong one - but it worked out for some good chuckles

[Q.]

Had already decided to not cast a vote. Normally would vote, but being well out of the loop in recent months, I couldn't bear the thought of an uninformed decision. Best not to get a fine though, so after packing my footy bag, down to the primary school I went. I'm pretty sure I can still get to the ground on time, this should not take more than thirty minutes.

Outside I managed to avoid being accosted by those folk pimping how-to-vote cards. I suppose there is an advantage to that 'I might shank you with an ice pick if you make eye contact with me' look (although, I assure you, looks are incredibly deceiving).

Green slip? I have no idea what you are talking about, reckon I might have to cast an absentee vote. So I get put at the end of a long line. They clearly haven't anticipated the large number of absentee votes being cast. Time ticks away and I slowly move to the front of the line. It should be relatively painless, just tell the unhealthy looking obese fella that you won't be voting.

I sit. Your name? The rest of my family are on the register but I am not. Umm, what? It's okay, it's probably just an error, I'll just get you to fill out this enrolment form so we can be sure. As I check the time, he produces a large, four-page form. Okay fatty, this is not what I envisaged, I came here to NOT put pen to paper, I think to myself.

Look mate. I don't have time for this. I am coaching footy in about five minutes. Just answer this question for me, if I don't fill in this form and it is an error, will I get a fine if I walk out that door now?

I cannot advise you on that at this point of time.

Well, thanks for your help then. I get up and leave. As I walk to the car, I wonder if they still fine you even if you've got a good excuse - I was going to vote after playing football on Saturday afternoon, but, umm, I got concussed and never made it.

[Dogwatcher]

All up a dreadful waste of time which I could have spent more profitably by sitting on my @rse and developing a case of Deep Vein Thrombosis. Next year perhaps I'll get someone to vote on my behalf, in the manner of his choosing. That way I get to avoid the polling booth, and some over-eager schmuck gets to make his vote count twice. I won't bother pointing out that twice times SFA is still SFA.

Good news Psuedo, I think we are due to go to the Polls in December this year for K-Rud...

I'm tipping earlier

[Sploosh]

I absent-mindedly folded the ballots in half as I walked. Then in half again for the upper house paper. Then again. Realising that it was still too big for the slot on the upper house box, I simply scrunched the paper as I reached forwards to the holes.

"Nein! Mein Gott!", screamed the Exit Nazi. "You must fold your paper neatly as small as possible!" she screamed, reaching forwards and taking my ballot from my hands.

As amusing as your tale was, this part was pretty hard to swallow. The smaller those papers are folded, the longer it takes the counters (which would definitely inclede your "exit nazi") to unfold all the bloody papers before they can be counted. It's always appreciated when they are folded as little as possible.

[Pseudo]

I absent-mindedly folded the ballots in half as I walked. Then in half again for the upper house paper. Then again. Realising that it was still too big for the slot on the upper house box, I simply scrunched the paper as I reached forwards to the holes.

"Nein! Mein Gott!", screamed the Exit Nazi. "You must fold your paper neatly as small as possible!" she screamed, reaching forwards and taking my ballot from my hands.

As amusing as your tale was, this part was pretty hard to swallow. The smaller those papers are folded, the longer it takes the counters (which would definitely inclede your "exit nazi") to unfold all the bloody papers before they can be counted. It's always appreciated when they are folded as little as possible.

Never underestimate the ability of a megalomaniac to lord it over somebody, even if it means making their own life harder. But feel free to believe that I simply made it up. Your belief carries as much weight as your vote.

[Dutchy]

Gold Pseudo!

My wife went to Melbourne for the weekend, therefore had to vote prior to Saturday, she went down to Marion and did it all in about 2 mins without any hassles, last Tuesday....

I also heard you can do a postal via printing, scanning and emailling these days all from the comfort of home.

Ill do this in the future, polling booths are shockers...

[mick]

I voted in Morgan about 9.30am as an absentee (live in Adelaide electorate) the majority of thiose voting seemed to be absentee, I had to wait in line for approximately 15 minutes.

[Simon_A]

I sit. Your name? The rest of my family are on the register but I am not. Umm, what? It's okay, it's probably just an error, I'll just get you to fill out this enrolment form so we can be sure. As I check the time, he produces a large, four-page form. Okay fatty, this is not what I envisaged, I came here to NOT put pen to paper, I think to myself.

Look mate. I don't have time for this. I am coaching footy in about five minutes. Just answer this question for me, if I don't fill in this form and it is an error, will I get a fine if I walk out that door now?

I cannot advise you on that at this point of time.

Well, thanks for your help then. I get up and leave. As I walk to the car, I wonder if they still fine you even if you've got a good excuse - I was going to vote after playing football on Saturday afternoon, but, umm, I got concussed and never made it.

Congratulations, you have somehow just slipped from the electoral role. From here you never need to vote again. I slipped from the electoral list back in '96.