Snowy River Shire Council Report 2008 Local Government Elections REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS SNOWY RIVER SHIRE COUNCIL General Manager Snowy River Shire Council PO Box 143 Berridale NSW 2628 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 Snowy River Shire Council. Yours sincerely Colin Barry Electoral Commissioner 31 August 2009 REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS SNOWY RIVER SHIRE COUNCIL 2 Contents LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................... 4 LIST OF GRAPHS.................................................................................................................... 5 THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS ....................................................................... 8 2008 SNOWY RIVER SHIRE COUNCIL ELECTIONS .............................................................. 15 ELECTION PREPARATION.................................................................................................... 19 CONDUCT OF THE ELECTIONS ........................................................................................... 38 ELECTION CONCLUSION.................................................................................................... 67 FUTURE DIRECTION ............................................................................................................. 80 APPENDICES....................................................................................................................... 85 REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS SNOWY RIVER 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 (%)......................................................................................................................................... 23 Table 4: 2008 Local Government Elections Returning Officer Office Satisfaction – NSW (%) .................................................................................................................................................. 29 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 (%)......................................................................................................................................... 33 Table 8: 2008 Local Government Elections Candidate Information Satisfaction – NSW (%) .................................................................................................................................................. 33 Table 9: 2008 Local Government Elections NSWEC advertising expenditure, $M – NSW ........................................................................................................................................................ 35 Table 10: 2008 Local Government Elections Election Arrangements – NSW.................. 40 Table 11: 2008 Local Government Elections Statewide Candidates by Registered Political Party ............................................................................................................................... 42 Table 12: By-elections by council, vacancies, candidates and enrolled electors, Saturday, 29 November 2008................................................................................................... 43 Table 13: 2008 Local Government Elections Categories of Election Staff – NSW and Snowy River Shire Council ......................................................................................................... 47 Table 14: 2008 Local Government Elections Pre-poll Voting Centre Details.................. 49 Table 15: 2008 Local Government Elections Satisfaction with Pre-poll Voting Centres – NSW (%)......................................................................................................................................... 50 Table 16: 2008 Local Government Elections Satisfaction with the Pre-poll Voting Process – NSW (%)....................................................................................................................... 50 Table 17: 2008 Local Government Elections Satisfaction with Postal Voting Process – NSW Overall (%) .......................................................................................................................... 51 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 (%).................................................................................................................................... 56 Table 20: 2008 Local Government Elections Voter Participation ..................................... 60 Table 21: 2008 Local Government Elections Results information satisfaction – NSW (%) ........................................................................................................................................................ 62 Table 23: 2008 Local Government Elections Non-voter Statistics Comparisons............ 64 Table 24: 2008 Local Government Elections Non-voters by Region and Gender ........ 64 Table 25: 2008 Local Government Elections Media Information Satisfaction – NSW (%) ........................................................................................................................................................ 67 Table 26: 2008 Local Government Elections Survey Participation ................................... 68 Table 27: 2008 Local Government Elections Returning Officer Satisfaction – NSW (%)71 Table 28: 2008 Local Government Elections Major Expenditure Items for NSW and Snowy River Shire Council......................................................................................................... 75 Table 29: NSWEC Corporate Plan Measures and 2008 Local Government Elections Outcomes..................................................................................................................................... 78 REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS SNOWY RIVER SHIRE COUNCIL 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 ....................... 41 Graph 5: 2008 Local Government Elections Metropolitan and Rural Candidates Breakdown by Gender.............................................................................................................. 41 Graph 6: 2008 Local Government Elections Non-Voters by Age and Gender – NSW 65 Graph 7: 2008 Local Government Elections Statewide Enrolment, Voter Total and Non-Voter Total by Age ............................................................................................................ 65 Graph 8: 2008 Local Government Elections Statewide Valid Reasons for Failing to Vote............................................................................................................................................... 66 Graph 9: 2008 Local Government Elections Election costs – Number of Electors by Location........................................................................................................................................ 76 REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS SNOWY RIVER SHIRE COUNCIL 5 Snowy River Shire Council 2008 Election Summary Enrolment Total Electors 4,349 Female Electors 48.2% Male Electors 51.8% Polling Booths Pre-poll Voting Centres 2 Polling Places 7 Election Officials 18 Voter Participation Formal Votes 3,314 Informal Votes 254 Total Votes 3,568 Voter Participation 82.0% Rate of Informality 7.1% Voting Methods Electors used Ordinary 2,634 Postal 178 Pre-poll 491 Declared Institution 5 Section 3 Silent 3 Councillor Election Total Candidates 12 Female Candidates 3 Male Candidates 9 Successful Candidates CAHILL, John SHUMACK, John BEER, Peter REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS SNOWY RIVER SHIRE COUNCIL 6 LECKSTROM, Jan PENDERGAST, Neen LAIRD, Kris SMITS, Bill HAYES, Tony FROST, Bob REPORT ON THE 2008 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS SNOWY RIVER 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,