A total of 36,536 enrolled residents were eligible to vote in the 2024 election — down on 46,242 in 2020 due to the change to nine single-member wards but only seven of those needing to go to a vote.
Turnout among those who were eligible and enrolled was just 79.33 per cent — down from 83.65 per cent in 2020 — but the actual percentage of formal votes was almost identical.
It was in the informal voting section where the margin came from.
Only 798 informal votes were tallied in 2024 — representing 2.75 per cent of eligible enrolment — compared to 2751 (or 7.11 per cent) in 2020.
It can be hard to draw conclusions that circumvent a ‘correlation does not equal causation’ counter argument, but the numbers themselves are clear.
Fewer residents took the trouble of voting — but the vast majority who did made sure their vote counted.
Whether this had anything to do with the change to the ward system or not is the grey area.
The two wards with the highest informal vote rate this year were the pair with the fewest options — McEwen (4.99 per cent) and Yanha Gurtji (3.67 per cent).
They were also the two wards with the least amount of overall turnout — 73.59 per cent and 72.05 per cent respectively — with Lower Goulburn next with 75.35 per cent.
On the flip side, the highest turnout belonged to the wards that were widely accepted as having the most competitive election races ahead of proceedings beginning — Kialla (84.46 per cent), Pine Lodge (84.16 per cent) and Goulburn River (83.21 per cent).
In 2016, overall turnout was below both 2024 and 2020 elections — at just 77.79 per cent — and the informal voting rate was a huge 11.99 per cent.
But what does it all mean?
On face value, residents in wards with less choice were less likely to vote, and then more likely to vote informally.
Those with plenty of options to choose from seemed more empowered to ensure their vote was counted.
And while it is a positive that overall informal voting rates were well down, a total turnout of less than 80 per cent may indicate somewhat of a ‘why bother’ attitude.
What it certainly will do is ensure plenty of $99 fines get sent out across the region by the Victorian Electoral Commission.
– Tyler Maher is the editor of The News
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