Does anyone know If you can be a conscientious objector and not vote in the Australian Federal election?

Answer 1

If you don't vote, you don't matter.
Actually, John Howard doesn't even want you to vote. He changed the enrollment deadline rules just to try to make sure that less young voters vote against his party. Be a conscientious objector to THAT! :)

Please just do the rest of us a favour and vote for the Greens. The more representation they can get in the senate, the less chance the governing party has of pulling an environmentally unfriendly and corrupt swifty under our noses.

Thank you for giving it another thought ;)

Answer 2

You can be a conscientious objector and not vote if that is your wish. You must first registor

Why anyone would want to give up their vote is beond me. You also give up your right to complain about anything.
Can you even begine to comprehend how many people have laid thier lives on the line for your right.

Answer 3

I am too young to vote, but have learned all about it at school.

Technically if you do not vote you get fined. So you must at least have your name marked off and collect the paper. I guess that means you cannot be a conscientious objector as such.

But you do not have to write anything on it. Apparently they have lots of informal votes. So you can do that if you want.

BTW donkey vote means number the boxes in order from top to bottom.

B

Answer 4

I'm actually curious as to what your reasons are for not voting ...ONE party MUST represent SOME ideaologies that you believe in.

you don't have to vote one of the Big Two ( just please DON'T vote for family first or Pauline Hanson).. there's the greens and the democrats...

there are places in the world where people have died and are dying for their right to vote ... fortunately though we have never had to do that here.. I still value the fact that I CAN vote.

IF you REALLY don't want to vote .. just do as others have said and do a Donkey Vote..... I did that ONCE in a council election as i didn't know the candidates... and didn't want to vote for a name as I may have ened up helping put into power somebody who's policies I had no alliance to.

Answer 5

Voting is compulsory in Australia so the answer to your question is no. If you are enroled to vote you will need to at least go and get your name marked off- what you do with the ballet paper is up to you. If you are not enroled you do not have to vote but if you get caught you will be fined big time.

Everyone over the age of 18 has to be enroled unless there is a medical reason why or your in jail.

Like others have said- get your name marked off and put the ballet paper in blank. There is no law saying you have to fill in the ballet paper.

Answer 6

Once you're in the booth what goes on the ballot paper is between you and your pencil.

Who's to know?

You can write nothing on your ballot, or wrote 'I hate you all', in the complete security that it is a secret ballot.

Then fold it in half, pop it in the box and you're done.

I don't recommend it, because we all have an obligation to do our part in keeping the wheels of our civil and representative democracy turning, but I won't know, and neither will anyone else.

Of course, if you want to be a goose you can make a big song and dance about 'refusing' to vote, even picket your local polling place, but you'll probably get laughed at, called a Yank and probably even fined the nasty ol' $100 penalty (ahhh, the computer age).

The choice is yours ~ us grownups will make the decision for you.

But please ~ do NOT whine about politics for the next three years. You won't have that right.

Cheers :-)

Answer 7

I believe that some religions are given the concession not to vote based on their religious objections, the same as some will not go to war under ANY circumstances. In your case I would recommend that you make inquiries at your electoral office.

Answer 8

Just do what you're best at and place a Dummy Vote!
There's plenty of parties to choose from.
If you feel that strongly about it then make you're own party!
But don't be a loser and hide behind some falacy because you're not getting things your own way.
Its not a perfect world and no matter what there will never be a perfect political party ever!

Answer 9

In Australia it is compulsory to vote if you are registered. If you are not registered then you cannot vote.
If you do not want to get a fine then go and get your name crossed off and place a blank ballot paper in the box. This is a waste of a vote, but any ballot paper not filled in correctly is discarded. This way you will not get a fine and you have not voted.

Answer 10

Get enrolled then be the donkey vote just write anything on the voting slip that is if you can write~~