‘COUNTING OUT’ IN THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 103, 17 January 1923, Page 4

‘COUNTING OUT’ IN THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS

HOW PREFERENTIAL VOTING WORKS GLIMPSE OF AUSTRALIA’S SYSTEM The following from the “Sydney Morning Horul3’B’ , report of the first count of tho preference votes in the election of three Senators in Now South Wales affords an interesting glimpse of the Australian system of of voting in the Federal (flections. The totals of tho various candidates before the exclusion of candidates bosan wore: — McDougall (Lab.) 192,142 Millen (Nat.) 155,014 Abbott (C.P.) 73.070 Garling (Nat.) 54,749 Dunn (Lab.) 40,/6Grunt (Lab.) 13,490 Thomas (Nat.) 9,060 Rae (Soc.) 8,551 Crapp (C.P.) 4,852 Hedges (C.P.) 4,493 Powell (Ind.) 3,813 Powell, being tho lowest, was first excluded, and his preferences distributed as follows :—Rae. 826 ; McDougall. 625; Dunn, 458 ; Thomas, 437 ; Abbott, 405; Garling, 373: Millen, 347 ; Grant, 267 ; Hedges, 41; Crapp, 34, making the totals:— McDougall 192. ,67 Millen 155,361 Abbott ■- 73.470 Garling Grant Rae 9,377 ' Crapp '4.886 Hedges 4.034 On the exclusion of Hedges his votes transferred thus: —Crapp 1917. Abbott 1534. Dunn, 384. Grant, 227. Garling. 156, Millen 140. McDougall 115, Thomas 48, Rae 13, making the pro•"•feSSr-: Millen 155,501. Abbott 75.009 Grant Thomas ,» Rae 9.390 Crapp •••; . 6.803 Crapp being elimincted his preferences were distributed thus:—Abbott 4932, Dunn 822. Grant 471. Garling 180. McDougall 169. Millen 132. Thomas 62. Rae 35. making the totals:— McDougall 193.051 Millen 155.633 Abbott. 79.9-11 Garling 55.458 Dunn 42.426 Grant 14-455 Thomas •■••• Rae 9,4-0 Upon Rae’s exclusion his votes were transferred as followsMcDougall ■ 4715, Dunn 1371, Grant 1290, Thomas 910, Abbott 482, Millen 372, Garling 285, bringing the totals to : — McDougall 197566 Millen 106,000 Abbott 80,423 Garling 55,743 Dunn Grant 15,740 Thomas 10,537 Thomas was the next- eliminated and his votes were transferred as follow: Millen 7462. Garling 2115, Abbott. 327 McDougall 325, Grant 195, Dunn 113. making the totals.— McDougall 193,091 Millen 1 2242 n Abbott * 80,750 Garling 07,858 Dunn 4d,;nu Grant Fl J 5 ’ 91 ? v Then Grant was excluded, and las votes distributed as follow; McDoucall 9902, Dunn 4425. Garling 6u6, Abbott 480, Millen 477, the totals McDougall Millen 16-VJ44 . Abbott 81,230 Garling m Dunn 48,33 d Upon the exclusion of Dunn, his votes were transferred thus: McDougall 45 639 Abbott 1232, Garling 930, Millon 517, making the totals:— McDougall Millen 134.461 Abbott.Garling •••••• o9,4 ‘ i ‘ t In the ninth count Garling was eliminated. and his votes distributed as follow:—Millen 55,789, Abbott. 202. J. McDougall 1442, making the totals;— McDougall 200,074 Millen 220.200 Abbott 84,48/ Abbott was finally excluded, and hi» votes in the tenth count ttensferred thus: Millen 58.359. McDougall 23,973 At. one stage of this count Millon made np a leeway of 10,000 votes and placed in the lead by almost 1000 votes. These votes of Abbott s came from Now England and other country centres. But in other places Abbott s second preferences wont largely tor McDougall, who gradually caught up on Millen, and eventually passed him, the final figures being:— :::::::::::: IX Majority for McDougall 438 The Hams process of sifting went on until the whole throe Preferential selections were eliminated from the ruck, the final result being: McDougall, Millen, and Grant, in that ordei.