New Hobart Deputy Lord Mayor Helen Burnet says high informal vote is disappointing

HOBART’s high informal vote has earned the ire of political analyst Kevin Bonham, who says it’s a result of absurd legislation.

HOBART’s high number of informal votes has earned the ire of political analyst Kevin Bonham, who says it’s a result of absurd legislation.

While Hobart recorded a 61 per cent voter turnout at the local government election, about 8 per cent of those votes were informal, meaning they would not be included in the overall tally.

“This level of informal vote as a result of absurd legislation is a farce, an insult to democracy, and a threat to the legitimacy of seats being decided by a handful of votes.,” Dr Bonham said.

“In Hobart there are 36 candidates and informal is higher than 35 of them.

“Anna Reynolds is the only candidate who has beaten the informal vote.”

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Dr Bonham said blame could be shared among Liberal and Labor for not acting on this issue after the 2014 election.

“I want to see all parties come out and say they are committed to fixing this problem,” he said.

New Hobart Deputy Lord Mayor Helen Burnet said the high informal vote was disappointing.

Helen Burnet is the new Hobart City Council Deputy Lord Mayor. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

“It’s a shame to think that people go to all that trouble to vote but find that their vote doesn’t count,” she said.

Simply doubling up or omitting a number from 1 to 12 on the Hobart ballot paper would have made your vote invalid.

But Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein said the return rate was substantially higher than in 2014, which indicated greater engagement by voters in the process.

“The review of the Local Government Act will consider electoral arrangements for local government more broadly,” he said.