We have several sophisticated voting innovations in the ACT.
First is the secret ballot, developed in Victoria, which removed the bribery and corruption endemic in voting and now is virtually universal around the world.
Second is compulsory voting which avoids all possibilities of stacking and manipulation of votes.
Third is the preferential voting system, another Australian innovation, which means that a voter need not concern themselves their vote will be wasted because they chose a smaller political group. Basically it is an elimination system. The vote of failed candidates is redistributed to the next preferred candidate until one candidate achieves a majority.
Fourth is the rotating ballot paper which eliminates the donkey vote. No one candidate has all the ballot papers with their name at the top so gathering up the lazy (or donkey) vote.
Fifth is the absence of party names on ballot papers and the banning of political parties from approaching closer than 100m to voting booths. This (in theory) is to make voters research and make decisions based on the candidates' qualities. As I said this is the theory. The practice is different, people bring in their own "How to vote sheets" into voting booths. All the law can do is forbid them to leave them in the booths.
Sixth is the Hare-Clarke or multiple-candidate seat (invented in Tasmania) which is the ideal combination of proportional and representational voting. The pool of candidates is eliminated preferentially till the allocated 4-5 candidates is elected. This usually ensures you have a candidate who represents your view in your electorate. It also gives a much better chance for independents to get in.
This system has been put into effect to give the fairest and most representative system. We look on the disastrous and clumsy systems in place around the world and wince. Especially the American and British systems which supposedly are the homelands of democracy and instead are effectively "managed" democracies.
The only step we have not yet completed is the achieving of a republic and the elimination of the monarchy. This was mainly due to the macinations of our present prime Minister who made sure we had Hobson's choice when it came to the vote.
Despite Australians' being overwhelmingly for a Republic, the vote was rejected because we were not offered the option of an elected President in the model of Ireland's President.
Does this give us better candidates or candidates who are not just rich or from elite groups? Can't say it succeeds 100% but it certainly works against the manipulations of the politicians and gives smaller parties and popular independents a chance.
Oh and I forgot the most important of all is the independent Electoral Commission. This ensures the electoral laws are enforced and gerrymanders are avoided by redrawing electoral boundaries within strict parameters as populations shift and grow. This is one "innovation" the Americans desperately need.
btw Any organisation or union can call on the Electoral Commssion to aid in the fair and correct running of their elections. Even smaller Pacific Nations are assisted in their own elections.
