VOTERS have been urged to read the instructions carefully on their ballot papers at Saturday’s state election.
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People will be issued with two papers: a smaller one for the lower house and a larger one for the upper house.
On the small paper, voters must place the number 1 in the box next to their most preferred candidate, then number all the remaining boxes in the order of their preference for their vote to count.
Voters can either vote “above the line” on the larger ballot paper by placing number 1 in a box above the line for a party or group, or “below the line” by putting the numbers 1 to at least 5 in the boxes below the line for individual candidates. People can number more than five boxes if they wish.
If a voter chooses to vote above the line, their preferences are distributed according to the party or group’s voting ticket.
Electoral commissioner Warwick Gately said if voters were not comfortable with the choices a party or group has made, they could vote for candidates below the line.
malexander@fairfaxmedia.com.au
