FILL UP THE BALLOT BOX

THE Hobart City Council will examine the introduction of compulsory voting at local government elections to address poor voter turnout.

Alderman Helen Burnet was behind a motion at a council meeting last night for a report into ways to address Hobart’s low rate of voter participation and the high number of informal votes.

Ald Burnet said compulsory voting was necessary to ensure democracy was working more effectively at the council level.

Alderman Damon Thomas, right, successfully pushed for a report to seek the view of other Tasmanian councils and the State Government into introducing compulsory voting at future local government elections.

COMPULSORY voting at the local government level is once again on the political agenda with the Hobart City Council to produce a report to look into introducing it for future elections.

Alderman Helen Burnet last night put forward a motion to the Hobart City Council to prepare a report to determine ways to address Hobart’s low rate of voter participation and the high number of informal votes cast, particularly for the position of alderman in the 2014 Hobart City Council election.

Two amendments were made to the motion.

Alderman Damon Thomas added an amendment for the report to seek the views of other Tasmanian councils and the State Government into introducing compulsory voting at future local government elections.

“It won’t necessarily sort the informal voting out but it would mean going in to the ballot box there may be a lot more care and caution taken by the voters,” Ald Thomas told his colleagues.

Ald Burnet said compulsory voting was necessary to ensure democracy was working more effectively at the council level.

“I think it’s an important addition to the motion,” she said.

“It will need the State Government to amend the Local Government Act.”

Ald Burnet said 37,624 Hobartians were enrolled for the 2014 election and 51.7 per cent of those returned their ballot papers in comparison with 54.5 per cent statewide.

In Queensland, where local government voting is compulsory, the voter participation rate was at 83 per cent for its 2016 elections while New South Wales, also with compulsory voting, had a turnout of 79 per cent at its 2017 elections.

The second amendment came from Alderman Bill Harvey, who wanted the report to focus on addressing the low voter participation rate from people aged 18-35.

“When we look at the ages that do vote we see that those under the age of 35 are very under represented in the overall,” he said.

“I want to know what we can do to try to increase participation for the 18-35 [age group].” Ald Burnet also wants the report to consider a “how-to-guide” specific for Hobart electors, and hopes the council can lobby the State Government and Tasmanian Electoral Commission to also run an active education campaign in the lead-up to October’s election.

The motion passed with only Alderman Phillip Cocker voting against.