Like many people, I am already fed up with the Federal election. The two major parties seem to run negative campaigns against each other, but then promise to outspend each other to buy our votes. I am fed up with it, and I suspect many other people are too.

While some people simply will not vote, other people still want to take up their democratic right to vote. Many people also believe that voting for an independent candidate in the House of Representatives is a wasted vote. This is not the case if you are thoughtful about your preferences by making sure that Labor and Liberal are in the order of preference, even if they are last and second last. I am not going to explain preferential voting here, but see the Australian Electoral Commission web site for an explanation of the preferential voting system.

Why not make a silent protest about the major parties in the next election by voting for an independent candidate but making sure that your preferences count?

Post the following to your blog or Facebook status.

— start post —

Sick of the two major political parties in Australia? Vote independent in the coming Federal election as your silent protest against the major parties. Make sure your House of Representatives vote counts by using your last two preferences on the ballot form in the order you prefer Labor/Liberal. http://www.aec.gov.au/Voting/counting/hor_count.htm for an explanation of the preferential voting system. Post this to your Facebook status.

— end post —