Council of the City of Sydney Report 2008 Local Government Elections REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SYDNEY General Manager Council of the City of Sydney GPO Box 1591 Sydney NSW 2001 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 Council of the City of Sydney. Yours sincerely Colin Barry Electoral Commissioner 31 August 2009 REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SYDNEY 2 Contents LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................... 4 LIST OF GRAPHS.................................................................................................................... 5 THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS ....................................................................... 8 2008 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SYDNEY ELECTIONS........................................................ 15 ELECTION PREPARATION.................................................................................................... 19 CONDUCT OF THE ELECTIONS ........................................................................................... 38 ELECTION CONCLUSION.................................................................................................... 68 FUTURE DIRECTION ............................................................................................................. 81 APPENDICES....................................................................................................................... 86 REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SYDNEY 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 (%) .................................................................................................................................................. 23 Table 4: 2008 Local Government Elections Returning Officer Office Satisfaction – NSW (%) ........................................................................................................................................................ 29 Table 5: 2008 Local Government Elections Returning Officer Training Satisfaction – NSW (%) .................................................................................................................................................. 32 Table 6: 2008 Local Government Elections Polling Place Manager Satisfaction with Training – NSW (%) ........................................................................................................................ 33 Table 7: 2008 Local Government Elections Election Official Satisfaction with Training – NSW (%) ......................................................................................................................................... 33 Table 8: 2008 Local Government Elections Candidate Information Satisfaction – NSW (%) ........................................................................................................................................................ 34 Table 9: 2008 Local Government Elections NSWEC advertising expenditure, $M – NSW... 35 Table 10: 2008 Local Government Elections, Council of City of Sydney, Non-residential Enrolments..................................................................................................................................... 40 Table 11: 2008 Local Government Elections Election Arrangements – NSW........................ 41 Table 12: 2008 Local Government Elections Statewide Candidates by Registered Political Party ............................................................................................................................................... 43 Table 13: By-elections by council, vacancies, candidates and enrolled electors, Saturday, 29 November 2008....................................................................................................................... 45 Table 14: 2008 Local Government Elections Categories of Election Staff – NSW and Council of the City of Sydney..................................................................................................... 49 Table 15: 2008 Local Government Elections Pre-poll Voting Centre Details........................ 50 Table 16: 2008 Local Government Elections Satisfaction with Pre-poll Voting Centres – NSW (%) ......................................................................................................................................... 51 Table 17: 2008 Local Government Elections Satisfaction with the Pre-poll Voting Process – NSW (%) ......................................................................................................................................... 51 Table 18: 2008 Local Government Elections Satisfaction with Postal Voting Process – NSW Overall (%)..................................................................................................................................... 52 Table 19: 2008 Local Government Elections Electors’ Satisfaction with Polling Place Voting – NSW (%)....................................................................................................................................... 57 Table 20: 2008 Local Government Elections Satisfaction with Polling Places – NSW Overall (%) .................................................................................................................................................. 57 Table 21: 2008 Local Government Elections Voter Participation........................................... 61 Table 22: 2008 Local Government Elections Results information satisfaction – NSW (%).... 63 Table 23: 2008 Local Government Elections Non-voter Statistics Comparisons .................. 65 Table 24: 2008 Local Government Elections Non-voters by Region and Gender............... 65 Table 25: 2008 Local Government Elections Media Information Satisfaction – NSW (%) ... 68 Table 26: 2008 Local Government Elections Survey Participation......................................... 69 Table 27: 2008 Local Government Elections Returning Officer Satisfaction – NSW (%) ...... 72 Table 28: 2008 Local Government Elections Major Expenditure Items for NSW and Council of the City of Sydney. .................................................................................................................. 76 Table 29: NSWEC Corporate Plan Measures and 2008 Local Government Elections Outcomes ..................................................................................................................................... 79 REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SYDNEY 4 List of Graphs Graph 1: 2008 Local Government Elections Elector Inquiry Centre Call Volumes ....... 20 Graph 2: 2008 Local Government Elections Elector Inquiry Centre, Nature of Calls... 21 Graph 3: 2008 Local Government Elections TIS National calls received by language. July – December 2008 ............................................................................................................... 26 Graph 4: 2008 Local Government Elections Age Range of Candidates ....................... 42 Graph 5: 2008 Local Government Elections Metropolitan and Rural Candidates Breakdown by Gender.............................................................................................................. 43 Graph 6: 2008 Local Government Elections Non-Voters by Age and Gender – NSW 66 Graph 7: 2008 Local Government Elections Statewide Enrolment, Voter Total and Non-Voter Total by Age ............................................................................................................ 66 Graph 8: 2008 Local Government Elections Statewide Valid Reasons for Failing to Vote............................................................................................................................................... 67 Graph 9: 2008 Local Government Elections Election costs – Number of Electors by Location........................................................................................................................................ 77 REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SYDNEY 5 Council of the City of Sydney 2008 Election Summary Enrolment Total Electors 89,568 Female Electors 47.4% Male Electors 52.6% Polling Booths Pre-poll Voting Centres 3 Polling Places 35 Election Officials 216 Voter Participation Formal Votes 58,419 Informal Votes 3,924 Total Votes 62,343 Voter Participation 69.6% Rate of Informality 6.3% Voting Methods Electors used Ordinary 50,359 Postal 2,764 Pre-poll 5,129 Declared Institution 134 Section 0 Silent 33 Councillor Election Total Candidates 39 Female Candidates 16 Male Candidates 23 Successful Candidates McINERNEY, John HARRIS, Chris BURGMANN, Meredith REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SYDNEY 6 MALLARD, Shayne HOFF, Marcelle BLACK, Phillip TORNAI, Di KOK, Robert DOUTNEY, Irene Mayoral Election Total Candidates 5 Female Candidates 2 Male Candidates 3 Successful Candidate MOORE, Clover REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS COUNCIL OF THE CITY