2010 Victorian state election.

[Sun Aut Ex]

Doesn't take that long, does it?

In the federal election, there were something along the lines of 60 squares to fill out. If you don't come prepared, you could be there all day.

[Sun Aut Ex]

Counting resumes 4PM today, apparently. With 30% to count in Bentleigh, we could know the result today.

[Sun Aut Ex]

Australian Greens leader Bob Brown said he blamed the Liberal Party for his party's failure to win any lower house seats at the Victorian poll.

The minor party campaigned heavily in the inner-city seats of Melbourne, Richmond, Brunswick and Northcote, following the success of Adam Bandt in the federal seat of Melbourne, but failed to follow that trend in Saturday's poll.

"The Greens' vote is up across the state in both houses and in those crucial Melbourne seats," Senator Brown said.

"But of course the Liberals' preferencing to Labor means that instead of there being three Greens in the new parliament there won't be on the face of it, we've still got to watch that count.

"If this is a 44-44 outcome had the Greens picked up those three seats the Liberals would be in a much stronger position to claim a moral authority at least for government."

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/fe ... z16XzPabOR

Bob Brown is a massive tool. Background: in the federal election, Lib preferences Greens, and when Greens candidate won in Melbourne, he immediately sided with Labor. Vic Lib learnt from this lesson and didn't preference Greens. Now Brown has the gall to blame Lib for Greens results? What did he think, that Lib was going to give Greens preferences again so they could go and screw them over again?

[Ardchoille]

The sneaky part of me is hoping for a 44-44 split, just to see the shenanigans as each side tries to lure one of those opposite to be Speaker. Plus, whether Labor would take the poisoned chalice of a brief run ending in a vote of no confidence (depending on what it's about, there could be some spin in that, but the campaign hasn't given me very high expectations). Plus, the inevitable election afterwards.

The sane part just wants to get it over with and hopes the outcome won't somehow stop funding going where it's needed because of screw-you-Canberra posturing. State governments are pushovers for that, even when they're of the same political stripe.

EDIT: On Senate ballots: NSW had a 78-candidate ballot in 2004, 79 in 3007, and I'm sure there was at least one over 100 fairly recently. When you're concentrating on making sure the excessively reverend Fred doesn't get the least whisper of a benefit from your vote, it can take a good 20 minutes to fill in. I'll vote much faster when he drops off the twig.

[Sun Aut Ex]

The sneaky part of me is hoping for a 44-44 split, just to see the shenanigans as each side tries to lure one of those opposite to be Speaker.

I doubt either side would take it. If it's a draw, we're headed for a second election.

Is there a provision in case that the replay ends in a draw?

[New Chalcedon]

The sneaky part of me is hoping for a 44-44 split, just to see the shenanigans as each side tries to lure one of those opposite to be Speaker.

I doubt either side would take it. If it's a draw, we're headed for a second election.

Is there a provision in case that the replay ends in a draw?

Not to my knowledge. At least, not officially. Unofficialy, the incumbent is supposed to get first shot at forming Government, and if he fails, the Leader of the Opposition is given a try.

ONE of them must command confidence or there's another election.

[Sun Aut Ex]

Not to my knowledge. At least, not officially. Unofficialy, the incumbent is supposed to get first shot at forming Government, and if he fails, the Leader of the Opposition is given a try.

ONE of them must command confidence or there's another election.

Yes, but at 44-44, there's no chance that either side can form govt.

Besides, I asked what happens if the second election ends in a draw. Do we have a third? A fourth?

[New Chalcedon]

Not to my knowledge. At least, not officially. Unofficialy, the incumbent is supposed to get first shot at forming Government, and if he fails, the Leader of the Opposition is given a try.

ONE of them must command confidence or there's another election.

Yes, but at 44-44, there's no chance that either side can form govt.

Besides, I asked what happens if the second election ends in a draw. Do we have a third? A fourth?

Yes. With a caretaker government that can continue to administer, but may not formulate new policies.

Also, it's highly unlikely that, at 44-44, at least one person can't be peeled off. Perhaps a maverick, maybe an old coot who's retiring at the next election anyway. At any rate, it's probable that SOMEone will accept the Speaker's chair - if only because the role loses its vote (making it 44-43 in favour of whichever party is governing) but has a great deal of procedural power.

[Sun Aut Ex]

Well, it's been predicted that a second election would occur in Feb. So if we need even more, it could be until late next year that this election is decided.

[Vortiaganica]

I was surprised how many people favor the Greens. They've never been my thing. This election I've been more a labor supporter. (Not that I can vote yet or anything...)

I was hoping for 44-44 too. Or even let the Greens get two seats! It might be funny. Maybe. Brr....maybe not.

[Kobeanare]

Doesn't take that long, does it?

In the federal election, there were something along the lines of 60 squares to fill out. If you don't come prepared, you could be there all day.

That's why I do come prepared.

[Sun Aut Ex]

In the federal election, there were something along the lines of 60 squares to fill out. If you don't come prepared, you could be there all day.

That's why I do come prepared.

I used that too, for the fed, I didn't know that it worked for this election too.

[Ardchoille]

That's why I do come prepared.

Yeah, that guy is brilliant. I used his site for the first time in the Federal election -- I didn't know he was doing State ones either. (Somehow, though, I don't think I'll have any trouble about tactical voting in the coming NSW election. )

[Imperial isa]

had no idea you were having a election in your part of the nation

[Forster Keys]

(Somehow, though, I don't think I'll have any trouble about tactical voting in the coming NSW election. )

If you vote Liberal I'll track you down and headbutt you repeatedly.

[Forster Keys]

had no idea you were having a election in your part of the nation

Victoria isn't really anywhere special.

[Just Guy]

'tis a shame.

[Ardchoille]

If you vote Liberal I'll track you down and headbutt you repeatedly.

*aggressively plays entire Billy Bragg collection at full volume.*

You know how it is: when the Light on the Hill dims, there are Greener pastures.

[Sciox]

I thought I might ask my fellow australian NS players this seeing as wer'e discussing the vic elections. The party that wins a majority of seats gets to form government but what would happen if the majority was won by independents?

[St George of England]

I thought I might ask my fellow australian NS players this seeing as wer'e discussing the vic elections. The party that wins a majority of seats gets to form government but what would happen if the majority was won by independents?

Hell would freeze over.

[Ardchoille]

You mean "Independents won a majority of seats"? Or "the seats that would give one party a majority were held by independents" (like the Feds at the moment)?

Either way: deals, coalitions. Innnnteresting times, for a while, but I think we're pretty sold on some sort of party system. You might get more, smaller parties with the first one, but I think informal alliances would coalesce and eventually we'd be talking about "the social democratic bloc" and "the free market entrepreneur bloc" and so on.

[The Archregimancy]

According to the Age, these discussions about hung parliaments are now academic.

Brumby has conceded defeat.

[Sun Aut Ex]

According to the Age, these discussions about hung parliaments are now academic.

Brumby has conceded defeat.

What does this mean for the counting? Are the undecided seats simply settled immediately? And in whose favour; the current count leader, or the Liberals?

[The Archregimancy]

What does this mean for the counting? Are the undecided seats simply settled immediately? And in whose favour; the current count leader, or the Liberals?

The count will continue. It means, in effect, that Mr. Brumby and the state Labor Party no longer believe that they stand a chance of overhauling the Coalition in those seats where counting continues. Brumby has openly stated that he believes that the final result will see the Coalition win 45 seats to Labor's 43.

[Nobel Hobos]

... when the Light on the Hill dims, there are Greener pastures.

You are wasted in the dreary halls of Moderation, your wit is meant for better things!

In other words: sigged!