Perth Voice Interactive

VOTES have been slow to roll in for this year’s local government election, even in council areas that are usually politically active. 

A majority of people who are going to vote typically mail off their ballot within the first week.

But as we go to print, some two weeks after ballots were sent out, the WAEC’s cumulative vote count reveals a pretty sluggish response so far.

About 22 per cent of votes have been returned in Bayswater council, 23.77 per cent in Perth, 19.21 per cent in Stirling, and just 18.26 per cent in Vincent. Despite the latter’s reputation as a politically switched-on locale, Vincent sits below the state average of 21.21 per cent.

There have also been concerns swirling around Perth council’s effort to advertise its enrolment process given the lower number of eligible voters at this year’s election. 

Efforts

At the final council meeting before the vote, councillor and lord mayoral contender Sandy Anghie questioned how thorough the efforts had been to “promote/advertise the fact that people are entitled to enrol to vote for the 2023 election, to have their say on how their rates were spent?”

The administration’s answer stated that a notice was put up at council house, Perth library, the council’s website, and on their LinkedIn page.

Cr Anghie’s questioning revealed that Perth council’s owners and occupiers roll was significantly smaller this year, dropping from 2600 voters at the last election to 2314 this year.

That list allows property owners or business owners who live outside Perth council boundaries to have a vote, but membership expires every two years.

Cr Anghie questioned how much effort had been made to advise potential electors that they needed to re-enrol. 

It turns out the only promotion consisted of a notice placed on the City of Perth website on July 18, advising owners and occupiers that they had to get their applications in by July 24. 

by DAVID BELL