Ican Network - The Independent's Tool-box

How to Vote Card

The how-to-vote cards shown in this section have one thing in common. They don't direct preferences. This is the first rule of true independence.

There is no way a voter is going to believe a person's claim to 'true independence' when the candidate directs preferences to anyone else, especially a major party. Such candidates can fairly be called 'dummy' candidates for a major party. Likewise 'one issue' independents (eg: Independents for Lower Poker Machine Taxes) can't lay claim to being true broad-based independents capable of representing the electorate on every issue.

In federal elections you must number every square from 1 to the last number of candidates, in sequence, on the House of Representatives ballot paper. This is a compulsory or full preferential system.

In state lower houses, the systems vary with some states using full preferential voting (VIC, SA & WA), some using optional preferential voting (NSW & QLD) and Tasmania requiring a minimum 5 preferences be marked under its Hare-Clarke proportional representation system.

You will have almost every other candidate, especially the major parties, approach you seeking your preferences. This is an invitation for you to indicate on your how-to-vote card that you wish your second preference (and third and fourth etc) to go in a particular direction.

You will probably be told that in return, that candidate or party will preference you with their second votes. Just tell them politely that in true independent style, you are not directing preferences. The preferences, after all, are supposed to belong to the voter and you are respecting that.

The major parties might then try and muscle you by saying 'Well, if you refuse to direct preferences our way, we might just do a preference deal with the other major party, and squeeze you out'. Just smile and say "bring it on". Such a tactic by the major parties against an independent, when highlighted at a specially called media conference, would be guaranteed to generate enormous publicity and support for you as a true independent.