I refer to Leader article, Wednesday 12/12/18 titled “Game of Votes” about the issue of preferences. Parties and candidates often issue a How-To-Vote (HTV) card recommending preferences to a voter. It’s up to the voter at the ballot box to vote whichever way they see fit.
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The Nationals will run their predictable and lazy “just vote 1” campaign in the hope that say a Labor voter’s vote is exhausted after putting their candidate first and not allocating any further preferences. They won’t want a Labor voter keeping their vote alive putting Jeff Bacon or Mark Rodda 2nd particularly if their candidate doesn’t reach the important 50 per cent plus 1.
I can clearly recall the 2001 by-election for Tamworth won by the Nationals on the back of preferences from a third placed independent candidate and then reversed at the 2003 State Election in favour of Independent Peter Draper. Preferences are important.
Because I am Independent that doesn’t mean that I oppose the preferences of voters who might other wise put another candidate first or ahead of me. I do intend to represent all voters regardless of their political persuasion so I want and need preferences and am yet to decide if I’ll recommend preferences on my HTV to the other candidates.
In the race for the Electorate of Tamworth, the first placed position is virtually assured to the incumbent, the other three candidates are clearly underdogs and will be well and truly outspent by the Government and so preferences will be important. Polling has suggested the NSW Government is in trouble and could be hung. Under those circumstances voters would have to decide the merits of keeping a potential opposition MP or switch to an alternative government or cross bench member.
I’ve made no secret of my concern about unsatisfactory and harmful polices detrimental to the future of rural NSW over the last four years and I will campaign on those issues because I want to be the vocal advocate for this region that is currently absent, as I am unfettered by party control, party donors, lobbyists, and vested interests, I am Independent.
Mark Rodda,
Tamworth