Categories Of Informal Voting – 1987

Jun 01, 1988

The table below shows the different categories of informal voting in the 1987 Federal Election.

The Australian Electoral Commission conducted a study of every informal vote cast in the election and came up with these statistics.

The figures show that nearly half of all informal votes were the result of some kind of incorrect numbering. This suggests that these informal votes were accidental. Similarly, another quarter of all informal votes contained ticks and crosses, suggesting confusion about the voting system.

Blank ballots and those with writing on them made up 26% of informal votes. These are most likely to have been deliberate.

Categories of Informal Voting
House of Representatives – 1987 (%)
State Blank Writing/Scribble Ticks, Crosses, etc Defective Numbering
NSW
16.0
9.2
31.5
42.4
VIC
15.9
11.9
22.5
49.3
QLD
12.0
10.3
24.8
52.4
WA
14.9
7.5
20.5
56.7
SA
20.3
11.0
20.1
48.1
TAS
16.8
16.8
27.1
45.2
ACT
18.4
14.8
21.6
41.7
NT
13.7
12.7
32.9
40.4
AUS
15.9
10.1
25.3
48.0

 

Source: Australian Electoral Commission publications.

 

Filed Under: 1987 Federal Election, Election Statistics, Informal Votes Tagged With: , ,

Hawke Labor Government Wins Third Term

Jul 12, 1987

The Hawke Labor government was re-elected to a third term at the Federal Election on July 11, 1987.

The government increased its majority with a net gain of 4 seats. It lost one seat each in New South Wales and Victoria. It picked up one seat each in Tasmania and the Northern Territory, and four seats in Queensland.

The ALP’s success in Queensland justified Hawke’s decision to call an early election to capitalise on the “Joh for PM” campaign by the Queensland Premier, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen.

This is how the ABC TV news in Melbourne reported on the election outcome:


Filed Under: 1987 Federal Election, A.L.P., Hawke, Video Tagged With: , ,

Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen Comments On The 1987 Federal Election Result

Jul 11, 1987

This is audio and video of Queensland Premier Sir John Bjelke-Petersen commenting on the re-election of Bob Hawke’s Labor government in 1987.

Hawke called an early double dissolution election because of Coalition divisions over Bjelke-Petersen’s “Joh for PM” campaign.

Despite a small swing against the ALP, Hawke won two extra seats from the Coalition in NSW and another two in Queensland, increasing his overall majority in the House of Representatives. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 1987 Federal Election, Audio, Hawke, Qld, The Nationals, Video Tagged With: , ,

Bob Hawke Claims Victory In 1987 Federal Election

Jul 11, 1987

This is the audio and video of Prime Minister Bob Hawke claiming victory in the 1987 Federal Election.

It was Hawke’s third election victory. He would win one more in 1990 before being replaced by Paul Keating in 1991.

Despite a small swing against the ALP, Hawke increased his majority in the House of Representatives, winning two extra seats in Queensland and another two in New South Wales.

Hawke called the double dissolution election six months early to capitalise on a split in the Liberal-National coalition. The division was caused by the “Joh for PM” campaign by the Queensland National Party Premier, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen.

  • Listen to Bob Hawke’s remarks (9m)
  • Watch Bob Hawke:

 

Filed Under: 1987 Federal Election, A.L.P., Audio, Hawke, The Nationals, Video Tagged With: , ,
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