New South Wales Consolidated Acts

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTORATES AND ELECTIONS ACT 1912 - SECT 103

103 Vote, how given

(1) Upon receipt of a ballot paper the voter shall, without delay:

(a) retire alone to some unoccupied compartment of the booth, and there in private record his or her vote on the ballot paper,

(b) fold the ballot paper so as to conceal the names of the candidates, and then forthwith openly, and without unfolding it, deposit it in the ballot box,

(c) quit the booth.

(2) In the case of the election of a member of the Assembly, a voter shall record his or her vote for at least one candidate by placing the number “1” in the square opposite the name of the candidate for whom he or she desires to give his or her first preference vote and may, if he or she wishes, vote for additional candidates by placing consecutive numbers beginning with the number “2” in the squares opposite the names of those additional candidates in the order of his or her preferences for them.

(3) In the case of a periodic Council election, a voter shall record his or her vote for at least 15 candidates by placing the numbers “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, “6”, “7”, “8”, “9”, “10”, “11”, “12”, “13”, “14” and “15” in the squares opposite the names of 15 candidates in the order of his or her preferences for them and may, if he or she wishes, vote for additional candidates by placing consecutive numbers beginning with the number “16” in the squares opposite the names of those additional candidates in the order of his or her preferences for them.

(4) If the ballot paper in a periodic Council election contains one or more group voting squares, the voter may record a vote by placing the number “1” in any one of those squares instead of recording a vote in accordance with subsection (3) and may, if he or she wishes, vote for additional groups of candidates by placing consecutive numbers beginning with the number “2” in the group voting squares above the names of those additional groups of candidates in the order of his or her preferences for them.