Informal voting in Australia is a sometimes controversial aspect of the electoral system. Rules differ between the House of Representatives and the Senate, sometimes causing confusion.
Informal Votes
- What Is An Informal Vote? – an explanation of House and Senate informal votes.
- Ballot Paper Formality Guidelines – the AEC’s 2015 booklet on formality guidelines. This is the definitive guide.
Donkey Votes
- What Is A Donkey Vote?
- Are donkey votes informal? – a 2013 post debunking popular myths about donkey votes.
House of Representatives Informal Votes
- Informal Voting Statistics Since 1983 – table showing the national and state-by-state informal voting percentages at every federal election since 1983.
- Enrolment, Voter Turnout and Informal Votes 1901-98 – table showing House enrolment, turnout and informality rates.
Categories of Informal Votes
- Informal Voting Declines In 2016 Federal Election
- Analysis of 2007 Federal Election Informal Votes – AEC Research Paper (PDF).
- Analysis of 2004 Federal Election Informal Votes – AEC Research Papers (PDF).
- Categories of Informal Voting 1987 – an interesting set of statistics showing how informal voters spoiled their ballot papers.
Senate Informal Votes
Archived Posts
- Jul 10, 2016: Informal Vote Declines In Federal Election; Sydney Again Records Highest Rates
- Sep 15, 2015: How Does The Electoral Act Define Informal Votes?
- Sep 15, 2015: Ballot Paper Formality Guidelines – AEC
- Feb 16, 2015: Electoral Pocketbook – 2015
- Jul 17, 2014: Federal Election Results 1901-2014
- Sep 05, 2013: What Is An Informal Vote?
- Sep 04, 2013: What Happens To Donkey Votes?
- Apr 21, 2009: Informal Voting In The 2007 Federal Election
- Oct 15, 2005: Informal Voting In The 2004 Federal Election
- Jul 27, 2002: Electoral Support For Non-English Speakers And Those With Low Levels Of Literacy
- Dec 10, 1998: AEC Electoral Newsfile: Guide To 1998 Federal Election Results
- Jun 01, 1988: Categories Of Informal Voting – 1987