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17th August 2010 by Jarrod Newton

Are you a first time voter? Here are two things you possibly haven't been told in the lead-up to Saturday's election.

1. The protest vote is overrated (and misunderstood)

Over the last few weeks, I've heard a few people say something along the lines of: "I don't like Labor or Liberal. I'm voting for _______ in protest".

While it sounds like a great way to show off your political muscle, the reality is it doesn't work. The election system is based on preferences, which basically means that candidates get "eliminated" when it becomes apparent that they can't win. Ultimately the votes for that eliminated candidate are then re-assigned to someone who is still in the race – based on the preferences you gave.

So it might be fun to vote for the Australian Fishing Party, and there's nothing wrong with doing so, but you need to know that your vote will eventually end up counting towards either of the two top candidates. So make your preferences count!

(And I'm sorry to rain on the parade of any Australian Fishing Party supporters out there ... no hate mail please!)

Action point: Find out who are the two top candidates in your electorate (it may not be Labor and Liberal/National – an Independent could be one of the frontrunners). Click here to see results from the last federal election in your electorate.

2. Local matters (Yes, it's got two meanings)

In a federal election, people understandably become preoccupied with national issues and questions. For the majority of Australians, it boils down to asking, "Who would I rather be Prime Minister?" and "Which party's policies will leave me best off?"

They're good questions to ask, but don't forget about your local candidate! They're not nameless, faceless slaves of the political parties – they're people with individual strengths and weaknesses too.

It's true that on some matters your local member is compelled to fall in line with party policy, but that's only part of the picture. Within your local electorate, they're more able to pursue their own personal passions, seeking to improve the local area in ways that they find energising and inspiring. If you're passionate about seeing a particular change in your local area, some candidates might be more sympathetic than others – regardless of their party alignment!

Action point: If you've found your top two candidates, Google them! Where did they work before running for parliament? In which fields had they been successful? Which organisations did they support? Which causes did they get involved in?

And here's a special bonus tip: don't vote like the guy in the photo. =)

For more on the election, you might want to check out Casey O'Brien's article!

By Jarrod Newton

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