Postal voting for the upcoming

state election is a matter of real concern now.

The Senior Cat had a "postal vote" at the last election. This was granted to him because of the very real difficulties in getting him to a polling place, having him lineup, have his name marked off, collect the papers, and vote. I organised it for him with a certificate from our GP. As a result he will also have a postal vote at the election in March.

Now the Senior Cat is still intellectually alert. He is perfectly able to make his own decisions about who he will vote for. The problem for us is that he is now in a different electorate to the one he was last time. I will be in another electorate because the boundaries have changed.   

Recently, as required, I advised the Electoral Commission of the Senior Cat's change of residence. I have asked them to forward his ballot papers to me. I have the legal right to mark the ballot papers for the Senior provided that I do it according to his wishes. (He can no longer see well enough to do it himself.) It will be interesting to see whether the Electoral Commission does as asked. My guess is that, if the right to a postal vote is acknowledged, they will send it to his place of residence. If that happens he may or may not be allowed to vote according to his wishes. A member of staff may "help". If that happens I will make a formal complaint.

Why? Because the Senior Cat's voting intentions are his business. He will tell me what he wants. He doesn't even want Middle Cat to know. He would prefer I didn't know. I would prefer not to know. Over the years this has always been the case. My parents never discussed how they voted with us or with each other. I can guess how the Senior Cat votes but he still takes an interest in politics. It is always possible he might have a particular view about something which will influence his voting intentions. 

Postal votes are wide open to abuse though. It would be perfectly possible (but highly illegal) for me to "steal" the Senior Cat's vote. He won't be able to read the way I mark the ballot papers. 

And this is true of many other people I know. I have on occasion been with someone who needs help to mark the ballot papers. I have always been aware that I need to be scrupulously careful to do exactly as they ask.  It has also been important to me that I never make any comment about the way they vote. That's their business.

At this election the Electoral Commission doesn't want to send out staff to aged care residences. They are concerned about the spread of Covid. There is now real concern that this will disenfranchise people who were relying on being able to vote within the residence. By no means all of them will have a postal vote. They are supposed to be working on other ways of making certain people can vote. I have serious concerns about all of this. The election is in March. Any new arrangements should have been in place by the end of 2021. 

It will be interesting to see how many people are disenfranchised and how the Electoral Commission will handle the problem. If the vote in an electorate is very close (and it could be) will there be challenges?

Our entire electoral system needs a major overhaul. Will this be the trigger for it to happen?