Tweed Shire Council Report 2008 Local Government Elections REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS TWEED SHIRE COUNCIL General Manager Tweed Shire Council PO Box 816 Murwillumbah NSW 2484 Dear General Manager I am pleased to present to you a report on the conduct and administration of the 2008 Local Government Elections held for Tweed Shire Council. Yours sincerely Colin Barry Electoral Commissioner 31 August 2009 REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS TWEED SHIRE COUNCIL 2 Contents LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................... 4 LIST OF GRAPHS.................................................................................................................... 5 THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS ....................................................................... 8 2008 TWEED SHIRE COUNCIL ELECTIONS .......................................................................... 15 ELECTION PREPARATION.................................................................................................... 18 CONDUCT OF THE ELECTIONS ........................................................................................... 37 ELECTION CONCLUSION.................................................................................................... 66 FUTURE DIRECTION ............................................................................................................. 79 APPENDICES....................................................................................................................... 84 REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS TWEED SHIRE COUNCIL 3 List of Tables Table 1: 2008 Local Government Elections Due, Contested and Uncontested ............. 9 Table 2: 2008 Local Government Elections, Results of Referenda Questions, Frequencies. ................................................................................................................................ 16 Table 3: 2008 Local Government Elections Braille Ballot paper, Elector Satisfaction – NSW (%)......................................................................................................................................... 22 Table 4: 2008 Local Government Elections Returning Officer Office Satisfaction – NSW (%) .................................................................................................................................................. 28 Table 5: 2008 Local Government Elections Returning Officer Training Satisfaction – NSW (%)......................................................................................................................................... 31 Table 6: 2008 Local Government Elections Polling Place Manager Satisfaction with Training – NSW (%)....................................................................................................................... 32 Table 7: 2008 Local Government Elections Election Official Satisfaction with Training – NSW (%)......................................................................................................................................... 32 Table 8: 2008 Local Government Elections Candidate Information Satisfaction – NSW (%) .................................................................................................................................................. 33 Table 9: 2008 Local Government Elections NSWEC advertising expenditure, $M – NSW ........................................................................................................................................................ 34 Table 10: 2008 Local Government Elections Election Arrangements – NSW.................. 39 Table 11: 2008 Local Government Elections Statewide Candidates by Registered Political Party ............................................................................................................................... 41 Table 12: By-elections by council, vacancies, candidates and enrolled electors, Saturday, 29 November 2008................................................................................................... 42 Table 13: 2008 Local Government Elections Categories of Election Staff – NSW and Tweed Shire Council................................................................................................................... 46 Table 14: 2008 Local Government Elections Pre-poll Voting Centre Details.................. 48 Table 15: 2008 Local Government Elections Satisfaction with Pre-poll Voting Centres – NSW (%)......................................................................................................................................... 49 Table 16: 2008 Local Government Elections Satisfaction with the Pre-poll Voting Process – NSW (%)....................................................................................................................... 49 Table 17: 2008 Local Government Elections Satisfaction with Postal Voting Process – NSW Overall (%) .......................................................................................................................... 50 Table 18: 2008 Local Government Elections Electors’ Satisfaction with Polling Place Voting – NSW (%)......................................................................................................................... 55 Table 19: 2008 Local Government Elections Satisfaction with Polling Places – NSW Overall (%).................................................................................................................................... 55 Table 20: 2008 Local Government Elections Voter Participation ..................................... 59 Table 21: 2008 Local Government Elections Results information satisfaction – NSW (%) ........................................................................................................................................................ 61 Table 22: 2008 Local Government Elections Non-voter Statistics Comparisons............ 62 Table 23: 2008 Local Government Elections Non-voters by Region and Gender ........ 63 Table 24: 2008 Local Government Elections Media Information Satisfaction – NSW (%) ........................................................................................................................................................ 66 Table 25: 2008 Local Government Elections Survey Participation ................................... 67 Table 26: 2008 Local Government Elections Returning Officer Satisfaction – NSW (%)70 Table 27: 2008 Local Government Elections Major Expenditure Items for NSW and Tweed Shire Council................................................................................................................... 74 Table 28: NSWEC Corporate Plan Measures and 2008 Local Government Elections Outcomes..................................................................................................................................... 77 REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS TWEED SHIRE COUNCIL 4 List of Graphs Graph 1: 2008 Local Government Elections Elector Inquiry Centre Call Volumes ....... 19 Graph 2: 2008 Local Government Elections Elector Inquiry Centre, Nature of Calls... 20 Graph 3: 2008 Local Government Elections TIS National calls received by language. July – December 2008 ............................................................................................................... 25 Graph 4: 2008 Local Government Elections Age Range of Candidates ....................... 40 Graph 5: 2008 Local Government Elections Metropolitan and Rural Candidates Breakdown by Gender.............................................................................................................. 40 Graph 6: 2008 Local Government Elections Non-Voters by Age and Gender – NSW 63 Graph 7: 2008 Local Government Elections Statewide Enrolment, Voter Total and Non-Voter Total by Age ............................................................................................................ 64 Graph 8: 2008 Local Government Elections Statewide Valid Reasons for Failing to Vote............................................................................................................................................... 65 Graph 9: 2008 Local Government Elections Election costs – Number of Electors by Location........................................................................................................................................ 75 REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS TWEED SHIRE COUNCIL 5 Tweed Shire Council 2008 Election Summary Enrolment Total Electors 57,493 Female Electors 53.0% Male Electors 47.0% Polling Booths Pre-poll Voting Centres 2 Polling Places 30 Election Officials 176 Voter Participation Formal Votes 43,012 Informal Votes 2,955 Total Votes 45,967 Voter Participation 80.0% Rate of Informality 6.4% Voting Methods Electors used Ordinary 35,471 Postal 1,502 Pre-poll 5,826 Declared Institution 175 Section 13 Silent 25 Councillor Election Total Candidates 39 Female Candidates 13 Male Candidates 26 Successful Candidates MILNE, Katie HOLDOM, Dot POLGLASE, Warren REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS TWEED SHIRE COUNCIL 6 van LIESHOUT, Joan LONGLAND, Barry SKINNER, Kevin YOUNGBLUTT, Phil REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS TWEED SHIRE COUNCIL 7 The 2008 Local Government Elections Background Local Government elections in New South Wales (NSW) are conducted on a quadrennial basis. On Saturday, 13 September 2008, elections were held for 148 councils across