SO JUST WHAT DID WE SEE THROUGHOUT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION THAT YOU MOST LIKELY WILL NOT BE AWARE OF. PART 2-THE SYSTEM-QUEENSLAND
SO JUST WHAT DID WE SEE THROUGHOUT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION THAT YOU MOST LIKELY WILL NOT BE AWARE OF.
PART 2-THE SYSTEM
In this post, we will just cover some of the anomalies that were spotted by the various people involved in the election process. We do acknowledge that the COVID-19 was in play but how the ECQ handled this was deplorable and a story in itself.
What this election process did was to show us in-depth just what lengths the various organizations involved did or did not do and it is up to you to make up your own mind as to the validity of election processors and results. Bear in mind that very similar things were viewed across the State which makes us feel that is was organized rather than random occurrences.
The ECQ system Itself
This is itself deserves a full post by itself as we know by experience the State Government bureaucracies are just about useless at getting information from and we can assure that ECQ is no different. We have never had the misfortune
to deal with such a poorly run bureaucratic system previously and this was not our first election by any means.
The Computer system was repeatedly “down”, the Phone voting system was unreachable for voting and for information and when you finally did get to contact people at the ECQ itself it was not until you demanded to speak to upper management did you get someone who knew what they were talking about. Even then they practiced delay, deflect or deny tactics.
We like many have taken the process of voting as being secure and above reproach, but it would seem, that this may not be the case. We believe that you were crossed off the roll electronically (well we hope so otherwise there is a fine coming) but really all you received was a voter card or form with a squiggle on it to say that the attendant gave it to you.
Then you marked it and placed it In the ballot box. Did you see a printed number on the form to legalize the voter card? Err Well no, not sure. Most we have asked did not.
When you think about this part of the process, to us is a critical point as the ECQ or you should be able to actually track your name and card number to be sure you actually voted and that you completed voter card actually was counted in the election? Was yours counted? Most of us would not know. This leaves a very big security glitch in the system.
The most important process in Count Scrutineering
The fact that the ECQ in many cases did not email or notify the Candidates or team management vie ECQ email system regarding the changes to the voting process that they instigated while the election process was on. Like the change in the Scrutineering process at the close of the Election 6 pm Saturday 28 Th.
In fact, for some reason that we are aware of the TSV NQSA group was not notified of changes and in fact, were seemed to be actively encouraged to ignore the process altogether.
Normally this process legitimizes the process of voting especially at the end of voting as a preliminary count of votes viewed by the Candidates representatives on the spot at the booth.
So what, you say well are you sure that your vote is among the rest of the people’s votes at the School or location in the “sealed” ballot boxes and that they ( votes and boxes) actually reached the central ECQ counting location sealed? Alternatively, were they the actual boxes that left the School or location not some other substitute boxes, we ask, as it seems that the system is well and truly open to exploitation.?
We have press releases by the ECQ after the end of voting saying that counting was going on till 11.45 PM Saturday night but there was no scrutineering encouraged or were this team notified? Several calls around 6.30 PM to the ECQ and the Local Counting center for confirmation only to be told it was underway?
In fact, we have knowledge that at the close of voting at a prime location, that counting did not start on these boxes until 5 hours later but for some inexplicable reason that within two hours results were up on the ECQ web site and the Hill team had greater than 50% of the vote?
A serious issue regarding pensioner voting in Aged homes has been reported to us as well where the ECQ representatives reportedly said to the Pensioners their vote was not required and was therefor not picked up. Do they get fined then? So much for the training of the ECQ r
This is just the start of what was in play which makes us all seem a little bit suspicious of the result as you would think by now the ECQ has had enough practice to get things operating very smoothly. It would seem not. We believe that the health emergency has activity highlighted what has been happening for years but has allowed us to see it in real-time for the first time.
More to come from what was seen in the field and the makeup of the ECQ staff in Townsville.