AUGUST 12 — We are staring at another low voter turnout across the six state elections being held as the Election Commission (EC) latest turnout data shows.
According to the EC’s hourly update, as of 3pm voter turnout in PN’s Terengganu and Kedah were at 63 and 64 per cent respectively, followed by Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Penang at 60 per cent.
In Selangor, 58 per cent of the voters have cast their ballots, while Negeri Sembilan and Kelantan are at 56 per cent and 51 per cent, respectively.
When voter turnout was only 59.4 per cent in 1922, Australia introduced compulsory voting in 1924. In the 1925 election the turnout was 91.4 per cent. At subsequent elections, the turnout has never been lower than 90 per cent.
Australia is one of the few countries in the world with compulsory voting.
Guides on voting in the country informs us that the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is responsible for maintaining the Commonwealth electoral roll and conducting federal elections, by-elections and referendums.
The AEC does not conduct state elections — Australia, like Malaysia, is a federation. The state elections are conducted by the state electoral authorities.
A federal election is held at least once every three years and election day is always on a Saturday.
A state election is held every four years. So federal and state elections are not held simultaneously — unlike the practice in Malaysia until recently.
When and where a voter in Australia votes depends on where the voter will be on election day. On election day, a voter can vote at any polling place in the home state or territory. Polling places open at 8am and close at 6pm sharp.
If a voter is in another state or territory and has not voted early, the voter will need to vote at an interstate voting centre.
A list of polling places and interstate voting centres will be available at AEC official website a few weeks before election day. If a voter can’t make it to a polling place on election day, the voter can early.
Yes, there are interstate voting centres and options to vote. There is the option to vote early either in person or by post if on election day the voter is, among others:
outside the electoral division where he is enrolled to vote;
- more than 8 kilometres from a polling place;
- travelling;
- unable to leave his workplace to vote
- seriously ill, infirm or due to give birth shortly (or caring for someone who is)
- a patient in hospital and can’t vote at the hospital; and
- in prison serving a sentence of less than three years or otherwise detained.
Early voting centres are open in the weeks leading up to election day and their locations and opening times will be published at AEC official website.
We can learn from Australia. Make voting compulsory and facilitate voting.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
