Kiama MP Gareth Ward calls to kill how-to-vote cards at elections

A south coast member of parliament has slammed how-to-vote cards as “a tad unsophisticated and unnecessary”, calling on the NSW government to remove them at local and state elections.

Kiama MP Gareth Ward slammed how-to-vote cards as “unsophisticated”.

A south coast member of parliament has slammed how-to-vote cards as “a tad unsophisticated and unnecessary”, calling on the NSW government to remove them completely from polling booths at local and state elections.

“People hate it,” independent Kiama MP Gareth Ward told this publication when asked why he wanted to get rid of the paper slips at polling booths.

The push from Mr Ward comes nearly a week after the local government elections, where how-to-vote cards were handed out by candidates and volunteers.

However, Mr Ward said the time had come to remove them and any electoral material from booths at elections.

“The volunteers hate doing it, why not just follow other jurisdictions and get rid of it,” he said.

Kiama MP, Gareth Ward.

“Think of the trees we’d save.”

Mr Ward is not the first politician to pitch the idea of removing how-to-vote cards at election booths, with former South Australian opposition leader, David Speirs, making the same call in February.

A how-to-vote card for Gareth Ward.

He said voters were “bombarded” with how-to-vote cards and said it was “annoying and unnecessary in modern politics”.

“All too often voters get swarmed by electioneers who want to push their political party’s preferences and we think this practice no longer has a place at the polling booth,” Mr Speirs said.

“People hate the volunteers, the electioneers stepping forward as they approach the polling place trying to thrust a how-to-vote card into their hands.”

Mr Ward agreed, saying most voters had made up their minds by the time they reached the booth.

Former South Australian opposition leader, David Speirs.

“People aren’t stupid,” he said.

“How-to-vote material can easily be distributed electronically and how-to-vote material could be on display inside each polling booth.

“I think there are better ways of engaging with the public than the rather undignified scrum that often occurs as people wonder into polling booths.

“It’s a tad unsophisticated and unnecessary.”

Mr Ward presented his motion to NSW parliament on Wednesday. He called on the state government to recognise the cards were already banned in some jurisdictions, noting the enormous number of trees cut down and paper used to produce the cards.

He also called on the government to ban the distribution of electoral material one kilometre from polling stations for elections.

NSW Premier Chris Minns’ office was contacted by this publication regarding Mr Ward’s motion.

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Originally published as Kiama MP Gareth Ward calls to kill how-to-vote cards at elections